What's this I see? Kids fighting over vegetables? Yes, it's true.
This past Saturday at the Little Italy Mercato in San Diego, two little boys were tussling over cucumbers. Well, not just any cucumbers, Armenian cucumbers, otherwise known as "snake cucumbers" and "snake melons."
"I wanted that one!" said the freckled blonde, stomping his right foot on the ground.
"Well, it's mine!" said the dark-haired one, fiercely, as he handed a curly, striped cucumber as tall as he was to his mother and asked: "Can I have this?"
I sighed. Ahhh! There is nothing so touching as seeing children fight over fresh farmers' market vegetables.
If you've seen an Armenian cucumber, then you understand why they're so alluring. Though a variety of melon, an Armenian cucumber looks and tastes like a regular cucumber, but can grown up to three feet long!
Pair them with electrifying pink watermelon radishes (a mild flavored variety of red radish) and you've got yourself one seriously spirited salad.
Watermelon Radish and Armenian Cucumber Salad
Makes 4 small or 2 large servings
1 1/4 cups watermelon radish, sliced thinly into half moons (about 1 large)
1 1/2 cups Armenian, Persian, or regular cucumber, sliced on the diagonal (about 2)
2-3 large basil leaves, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons sherry vinegar
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1. Place radishes, cucumbers, and basil in a small bowl.
2. Whisk remaining ingredients in a small bowl and pour over salad. Toss lightly to coat. Serve.
Susan Russo is a free lance food writer in San Diego, California. She publishes stories, recipes, and photos on her cooking blog, <Food Blogga and is a regular contributor to NPR’s <Kitchen Window. She is also the author of two upcoming books that will be published in the fall of 2010.