Aubergine! Eggplant! Time for Ratatouille! (pics of impending harvest)...

[NRaleighLiberal]

...at today's blog entry

http://nctomatoman.weebly.com/1/post/2013/07/focusing-on-the-positive-eggplant.html

To think I used to despise eggplant...now I crave it (so easy to grow as well)

These are all growing in my driveway in 5 gallon grow bags.

[Curmudgeoness]

1. They look beautiful.

But I still despise them. I do wish I liked them, they are easy to grow. I just have never found a way to eat them that isn't mushy and tasteless. Too bad. I wouldn't even have to grow them---everyone is always begging people to take them.

[NRaleighLiberal]

2. Definitely an acquired taste - my favorite is...

peel, thinly slice, egg wash and bread crumb dip, grated parmesan and bake at 400 for 20-30 min until browned and crisp. Yummy eaten as is, or layered with a good tomato sauce and served over pasta - or layered with mozzarella and parmesan and sauce and baked and made into Parmesan.

Also have a good honey spicy marinade and they grill nicely - and I love ratatouille, in which eggplant is seared and charred in olive oil (along with zucchini), followed by onions, tomatoes and peppers....

It took me years to love it (and the need to grow it and eat it fresh)!

[Curmudgeoness]

4. I have had it some of those ways.

I find it slimy and mushy cooked most ways. My mom used to bread and fry it, I wonder if baking makes it different. I really did not like it baked like a lasagna with the layering, even with all the yummy ingredients.

But the grilling and ratatouille sound interesting. I am willing to try it that way if someone gives me one or two.

Thanks. I agree that fresh is the only way to eat just about any veggies or fruit.

[femmocrat]

3. Oooh, pretty!

I don't grow them either, but they do look lovely in the garden!

[Cracklin Charlie]

5. I love aubergine!

During my years of college, I lived with my parents a few times in the summer. We had the same fresh-from-the-garden dinner every night...eggplant casserole (basically eggplant, breadcrumbs, and cheese), black eye peas, and sliced tomatoes. Once a week or so, we would have a slice of ham or some bacon.

I don't remember ever wishing we would have something else instead. And it still sounds like the perfect summertime dinner.

[uppityperson]

6. Color me green with envy and drape me in slugs

[NRaleighLiberal]

7. yesterday I tossed my unsold plants - hundreds of 3.5 inch pots in trays of 18 -

I must have encountered (meaning touched - yuck!) dozens and dozens of slugs. I know the PNW has champion sized slugs (feed a family of 4 type) - but to find so many 3 inch long, nearly 1 inch wide slimy buggers was pretty nasty! I also found out it is really hard to remove their goop from your hands!

[uppityperson]

8. Rub gritty dirty sand over your hands, then scrub with a brush you will throw away.

For me, snap peas are ripe! love them peas.

[NRaleighLiberal]

9. sugar snap peas - one of my favorite veggies - and the season is an eye blink here!