At the SF Ferry Building, I came across this basket of space alien looking food. Pal @dianev educated me that this was a basket of Fiddleheads which are a fern, a leaf vegetable known for their ornamental value. Must be because they were going for $17 a pound.
The name Fiddlehead comes from the fact that they look like the end of a fiddle. I will say they are definitely interesting looking, but call me a simpleton, as I still think they look like food eaten in the Starship Enterprise cafeteria.
Here are some Fiddlehead dishes posted on Food Gawker. Would definitely make for interesting conversation at the dinner table.