Little White "Gretel" Eggplants

It is eggplant season. Do you know about eggplants? Last year I wrote a little about them and you can read about that here. This year, I bought some eggplant seedlings at Heeman”s that were (or what I thought were), eggplants of the big, shiny and purple type – like the ones that I grew last year. As the season passed, a funny thing happened. As my little plants got bigger and shed their little purple flowers, white balls emerged, rather than purple. These formed themselves and eventually elongated into what you see in the above photo. Little, lovely white eggplants! For the record, the oldest, original breed of eggplant is actually white, resembling an egg growing from a plant = “eggplant”. I did some searching and this little white variety (about 4-6 inches long) appears to be a newer breed on the market – called Gretel. Well, I am hoping that Gretel is delicious. Tonight these little white beauts” will be offered up to the bellies of Sean and Kelly. I think I may fry them off and add some tomato sauce and cheese just like last year this time,except white and in miniature! I think it calls for some smallish baking dishes. Off to the kitchen! Eggplants are available at the Farmers Markets right now and my boss tells me that her husband has bought these very same mini white eggplants at the Covent Garden Market.  Read More