I'm thinking of growing some eggplant again this coming year and can't decide what type to start. I've grow tiny ones, long ones, and fat ones but haven't eaten enough yet to know what I like best. What do y'all like for flavor and/or productivity? Are certain types of eggplant better in different dishes?
Favorite eggplants varieties to grow?
- Thread starter POTAWIE
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Hey man, what do you plan to do with them? Stir fry, baked Italian dishes, Middle Eastern? I've tried all kinds.
I'd like to know what types are best for different dishes.
I'm new to eating eggplant, so far I've only attempted eggplant parmigiana once and I think my technique needs improvement
I've also made baba ganoush but that was many years ago.
When it comes to eggplant, I'm more of a grower than an eater but I'm hoping to experiment and learn more.
I'm new to eating eggplant, so far I've only attempted eggplant parmigiana once and I think my technique needs improvement
I've also made baba ganoush but that was many years ago.When it comes to eggplant, I'm more of a grower than an eater but I'm hoping to experiment and learn more.
I like the regular purple eggplants, for egglant parmagiana you have to slice it thin, maybe 1/4". If you slice it thick it doesn't taste as good. Try the regular ones (whatever they're called) and slice it thin, and layer the dish like lasagna. I also like Thai eggplants. Stir fry, etc. Sicilian eggplants have too many seeds. They may have another name, they are round, ribbed, and reddish purple and white, and sell as Sicilian around here. Don't get those. I don't like the Japanese or Chinese eggplants very much they cook up mushy and don't have that distinct eggplant taste that makes the regular (still don't know the name) ones taste so good. Hope this helps. I say regular, and Thai.
If your lookin for some thai eggplant seeds, I can help you Potawie...
japanese egg plant is great pan fried with just a little bacon grease, just enough to coat the pan. serve with jalapeno/ranch dressing it is great!!But it must be almost dry fried not greasy fried.
I think I'll see if I have seeds for a regular purple type.
I really liked growing the tiny "fairy tale" type, and they were also very popular at a veggie farm nearby, but I have no idea how to use them and I'm not good at peeling them either.
"Fairy tale" left and right, "Machiaw" center
I really liked growing the tiny "fairy tale" type, and they were also very popular at a veggie farm nearby, but I have no idea how to use them and I'm not good at peeling them either.
"Fairy tale" left and right, "Machiaw" center
Thai Long Green is my favorite. It has a mild flavor and texture that will soak up the flavor in a stir fry. The skin doesn't get as tough as other eggplants. It is also easy to grow and stores well.
I'm about to recommend my all time favorite. it's a small, awkward looking eggplant traditionally grown by the Bedouin people. it's has many names, including "Baladi Eggplant", "The Farm Eggplant" and "The Old Eggplant". has somewhat of a sweet flavor and hardly any seeds. I have not grown this one before, I only recommend it as the best flavored one.
Will try to get some fine stable seeds for ya to grow.
Will try to get some fine stable seeds for ya to grow.
Yeah man if you're going to make baba ganoush or moussaka (Middle Eastern, not Greek) get that one. I wasn't sure which one would be best for that but if Bedoins use it, it's the best one for that. I love moussaka!
Those look pretty cool!
What are the Japanese eggplants like? I was gifted some "Kamo" seeds and was thinking of trying them.
http://www.kitazawaseed.com/seed_242-32.html
What are the Japanese eggplants like? I was gifted some "Kamo" seeds and was thinking of trying them.
http://www.kitazawaseed.com/seed_242-32.html
Wow Omri, I like that one too. 
Nice looking eggplant.
Nice looking eggplant.
Omri said:I'm about to recommend my all time favorite. it's a small, awkward looking eggplant traditionally grown by the Bedouin people. it's has many names, including "Baladi Eggplant", "The Farm Eggplant" and "The Old Eggplant". has somewhat of a sweet flavor and hardly any seeds. I have not grown this one before, I only recommend it as the best flavored one.
Will try to get some fine stable seeds for ya to grow.
I have grown some that look like the one Omri suggested. Here is a good place to view some differnt kinds. It is a Tomato site but they cover eggplants and the link takes you directly to the eggplants. I am going to grow several different kinds this coming spring.
Tomato Growers Supply Company
I've already done my ordering from Tomatogrowers for this year but I still have to order from Stokes so if anybody can make eggplant recommendations from their stock, it would be appreciated.
Search"eggplant"
http://www.stokeseeds.com/cgi-bin/StokesSeeds.storefront
Search"eggplant"
http://www.stokeseeds.com/cgi-bin/StokesSeeds.storefront
Ciao Derek-
My favourites are:
Rosa Bianca-this one is roundish mauve with white and is Sicilian, but has very few seeds. It's got a mushroomy texture and becomes very creamy when sauted or grilled. Use a fish spatula when grilling because it's so tender, it tries to fall apart. It has a divine flavour and I'd never be without it in my garden. The only downside to this variety is production. Grow a fair number of plants to get the yield you're after.
Casper-this one is a white Italian teardrop-shaped eggplant with a few more seeds than Rosa Bianca, but I'd never call it 'seedy'. It's very easy to grow, prolific for an eggplant (usually one plant will yield 4-6 fruits, but I get about a dozen Caspers per plant), and again, has a mushroomy texture and delicate flavour. I don't see bitterness with either of these varieties.
Listada di Gandia-this one is again an Italian teardrop-shaped eggplant, but it's white with purple striping. I've found it to be the tastiest of all of the striped eggplants and it also has the fewest seeds of the striped ones I've tried.
Fairy Tale F1-this is my choice for container growing. Fairy Tale F1's don't get much bigger than 2 ft tall while the other 3 I've listed get to 4 ft in a good year in my raised beds. It has a fair number of blossoms and the growing nodes are shorter so you're still going to get good yields with this one. I only grew 2 plants the year I grew it, so my flavour notes are not as detailed, but I do remember liking it.
Last year was a really bad year for eggplants. They struggled out of the gate, despite being 2 ft tall at transplant time and never really did much. I'm really praying for a warmer, drier summer for all of us. And no blight for the Northeast!
My favourites are:
Rosa Bianca-this one is roundish mauve with white and is Sicilian, but has very few seeds. It's got a mushroomy texture and becomes very creamy when sauted or grilled. Use a fish spatula when grilling because it's so tender, it tries to fall apart. It has a divine flavour and I'd never be without it in my garden. The only downside to this variety is production. Grow a fair number of plants to get the yield you're after.
Casper-this one is a white Italian teardrop-shaped eggplant with a few more seeds than Rosa Bianca, but I'd never call it 'seedy'. It's very easy to grow, prolific for an eggplant (usually one plant will yield 4-6 fruits, but I get about a dozen Caspers per plant), and again, has a mushroomy texture and delicate flavour. I don't see bitterness with either of these varieties.
Listada di Gandia-this one is again an Italian teardrop-shaped eggplant, but it's white with purple striping. I've found it to be the tastiest of all of the striped eggplants and it also has the fewest seeds of the striped ones I've tried.
Fairy Tale F1-this is my choice for container growing. Fairy Tale F1's don't get much bigger than 2 ft tall while the other 3 I've listed get to 4 ft in a good year in my raised beds. It has a fair number of blossoms and the growing nodes are shorter so you're still going to get good yields with this one. I only grew 2 plants the year I grew it, so my flavour notes are not as detailed, but I do remember liking it.
Last year was a really bad year for eggplants. They struggled out of the gate, despite being 2 ft tall at transplant time and never really did much. I'm really praying for a warmer, drier summer for all of us. And no blight for the Northeast!