Eggplant

Did You Know…

Eggplant (Solanum melongena) is in the Solanaceae or nightshade family which also includes tomato, potato, tomatillo and sweet and hot peppers.  Other members of the family are petunia and tobacco as well as many highly toxic plants like datura and belladonna.  Eggplants are thought to have originated in Asia and Africa and are now cultivated worldwide.  Botanically, the eggplant fruit is a berry.  The name “eggplant” originated from white varieties that resembled an egg.  Eggplants are also known as aubergine in many other countries.

Types of Eggplant

Eggplant varieties vary widely in shape, size and color.  Common shapes can be oval, pear shaped, elongated like a cucumber and round or egg shaped.  Sizes range from just a few ounces to over 2 pounds.  Fruit varieties can be dark purple, reddish, white, pale green and striped.  Varieties on the Master Gardener list for our area are Black Beauty, Fairy Tale, Ping Tung, Purple Rain and Rosa Bianca. Some newer varieties of eggplant are parthenocarpic – they will set fruit without pollination and as a result have fewer to almost no seeds.   Some parthenocarpic varieties are Michal, Turkish Delight and Piccolo.  The elongated varieties of eggplant like Ping Tung are often used in Asian cooking while the pear-shaped varieties like Black Beauty are more common in dishes like fried eggplant slices and eggplant parmesan.

When to Plant

Eggplant are a cold tender tropical perennial well adapted to hot growing conditions.  We grow them as a warm season annual in our temperate climate.  Like its relative the tomato, eggplants are usually started from seeds indoors in late winter and the plants set out after freezes are over and the soil temperatures warm up – generally late March through April.

Harvest and Storage

Harvest eggplant when they reach their mature size and while the skin is still firm and glossy.  Over ripe fruit will have a dull skin and will be much seedier inside and perhaps bitter.  The stem of the fruit is quite tough and should be cut with a sharp knife or better yet with a set of pruners.  The fruit can be stored for up to a week in a cool dry dark location or in the vegetable crisper on paper toweling to keep the surface dry.  Eggplant slices can also be frozen either raw or roasted.  There are also numerous ethnic recipes on pickling eggplant.

Michael Vidrine

Brazos Valley Gardener, Orchardist, Apiarist and Instructor

Wine Pairings for Dishes with Eggplant

as recommended by Karen Bonarrigo & Merrill Bonarrigo

• Always pick your wine first! It is the centerpiece of the meal, and the food should complement your selection.
• Eggplant is versatile and used in many different recipes and styles. It acts like a sponge and absorbs the liquid flavors of any dish. It is the preparation of the eggplant that will complement the wine. Taste the wine and then taste the dish to make sure the dish does not overwhelm the wine.
• Sparkling wines are fun companions to eggplant dishes. They have crisp acidity and delicate flavors.
  • Sparkling Rose’ is great with eggplant parmesan or cheese stuffed eggplant rollatini. The flavor complements and it is crisp enough to lighten the heavy textures.
  • Sparkling Brut with baked/grilled eggplant or stuffed eggplant. The crispness of the wine balances the richness of the dishes.
  • Sparkling Almond is wonderful with appetizers like Baba Ganoush and eggplant caponata (try almonds in the recipe).

Recommended wines:

• Messina Hof Sparkling Rose’
• Messina Hof Sparkling Brut
• Messina Hof Sparkling Almond

Merrill and Karen Bonarrigo, Wine and Food Pairing experts at Messina Hof Wine Cellars, Inc.