Varieties grown: Astrakom, Diamond, Dancer, Pingtung Long

Eggplant is a nightshade in the same family as tomatoes, peppers, and potatoes. This vegetable comes in all shapes and sizes, and colors ranging through white, green, fuchsia, deep purple, and striped! A traditional vegetable in both Mediterranean and Asian cuisines, eggplant has an extremely mild natural flavor of its own, so it readily absorbs the taste of spices and sauces. Its creamy texture makes it a great base to many different dishes. It does need some extra preparation before use; we often soak it in salt water for a couple hours or overnight if we’re using it sliced or chopped. Though some people choose to peel it off, eggplant skin is edible, delicious, and packed with nutrients, so we rarely remove it.

How to use it:

• Roasted whole, it can be scooped out of its skin and used in spreads, dips, and baked goods; we often make baba ghanoush this way in the summer as an alternative to hummus

• Chopped and roasted in the oven, like you would with a root vegetable medley…no need to peel!

• Chopped into soups and stews such as the famous French dish, ratatouille

• Cut up into baked egg dishes

• Sliced thinly into stirfries with other vegetables

• Sliced and breaded, then fried or baked for your favorite twist on eggplant parmesan

How to store it: They will store longest kept in a paper bag in a cool, dry place at 50-55*F (such as your cellar), and are also fine out of direct sunlight on the kitchen counter if you will use them in a couple of days. Eggplant does not like cold temperatures, but if storing in the refrigerator is a must for you (and you can’t use them soon), wrap individually in a paper towel or reusable towel and then inside an open plastic bag.