Eggplant

Chopper 10/7/2010, 11:54 pm

Here's one for the notebooks:

Two eggplants, same soil, same seed packet, same care, same day planting and one is 4 times bigger than the other. I am guessing genetics. And had I just planted the one I would probably have thought they were all duds LOL... Very Happy

Gardening - it's an experience all right.
Eggplant 10_oct13

CarolynPhillips 10/8/2010, 10:49 am

I have had that to happen before too.
What kind of eggplant is it?

I grew Black Beauty. I have never grown any other eggplant.
I did buy some Hansel and Gretel from one seed company that I will
try in the Spring. And I bought some Italian eggplant from Gourmet Seeds.
They had a special at Gourmet Seeds on the Italian eggplant and would not sell them
in smaller packets. It was about 10,000 seeds for $10. Melanzana Early Long Purple.
I will be trading Eggplant seeds for sure.

Chopper 10/8/2010, 2:48 pm

Yes, they are Black Beauty and they are the only variety I have ever planted either. Let me know when you are ready to trade those seeds!

The Cat's Other Mother 10/11/2010, 12:32 am

I planted an Ichiban, and boy howdy did that plant produce! I have harvested at least twenty eggplants since June, and it is still producing. I also put a Black Beauty in a vacated square back in August, and it is just starting to fruit, so I hope I get a few before frost.

Chopper 10/11/2010, 12:43 am

Interesting. I would rather have a bunch of smaller eggplants than one large one that takes forever! I will try Ichiban next year.

The Cat's Other Mother 10/11/2010, 1:02 am

Chopper wrote:Interesting. I would rather have a bunch of smaller eggplants than one large one that takes forever! I will try Ichiban next year.

I've enjoyed it immensely. They don't have any of the bitterness that bigger eggplants sometimes get, or need 'sweating' with salt before cooking. I mostly bread and fry them to have with pasta or on pizza, or sauté with other veggies like squash and zucchini.

bettyd_z7_va 10/11/2010, 11:33 am

I've only tasted eggplant once (breaded and fried) when I was much younger and I didn't care for it. I see people here and at the garden web cooking forum loving it.

Is it really that good? Is there a secret tip or recipe that I need to learn?
I'm really trying hard to get more healthy veggies into our diet.

Thanks,
Betty

Old Hippie 10/11/2010, 12:16 pm

bettyd_z7_va wrote:I've only tasted eggplant once (breaded and fried) when I was much younger and I didn't care for it. I see people here and at the garden web cooking forum loving it.

Is it really that good? Is there a secret tip or recipe that I need to learn?
I'm really trying hard to get more healthy veggies into our diet.

Thanks,
Betty

I am with you Betty, and the same goes for zucchini and squash. Besides that I have a fussy DH who won't eat a lot of things like that so I don't grow them. I planted two zucchini once years ago and had enough to feed the whole neighbourhood. My family wouldn't eat them unless I sneaked it in stuff. When I see how much space they take up I figure there is no point wasting the space growing something only one of us will eat. The space is better used on carrots or beets (although the beets were a waste of space this year too!)

GK

CarolynPhillips 10/11/2010, 6:19 pm

you have to harvest eggplant when it is still shiny. When it starts to loose its shine--it is mature and bitter. Young eggplant taste better.
I have never eaten a bitter eggplant so I cannot chime in on how bad it taste.
Besides----bitter or not----everyone has their own taste for certain foods----so not liking eggplant is not a bad thing. Just a preference. like=I prefer not to eat asparagus==there are other veggies in the dirt somewhere.

I prefer my eggplant be sliced Thin, flour and salt battered and fried Crispy and eaten fresh from the skillet..
Or cooked in squash casserole. I like my version of eggplant Parmesan.
I guess I just like eggplant.

sceleste54 10/11/2010, 9:18 pm

Last year was my first experience growing and tasting eggplant. I bought a 4 pack of Ichiban transplants on a whim. Out of the two plants that survived, I must have gotten over 20 fruits! Every one was good, dredged in flour and fried like okra. This year I tried Black Beauty and have yet to get a single fruit! I think it was just too hot and humid down here. Now that the weather has cooled off a bit the plants are growing well again and a few flowers seem to be hanging onto the plant, so I'm going to leave it till it gets cold and see what it does..

Chopper 10/11/2010, 10:21 pm

Eggplant definitely has its own flavor. I posted a really super recipe that even my non-eggplant loving friends love HERE (I have maybe 2 friends and one of them didn't know if she liked it or not) Smile

If you don't like that one then there is no hope! I love the taste but it does have to be prepared properly. Always well cooked. Whenever I eat Italian out (last time at Dan Tanna's in L.A.) I order eggplant Parmesan. Their's was PERFECT. Can't beat it.

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