Among the vegetables there is one that can rightly be called “royal”. Among its advantages are beauty, a variety of flavors in finished form, a large amount of vitamins in the composition and even the ability to replace meat, an invaluable quality for vegetarians and Orthodox Christians who observe fasting. Guess what it’s about? Of course, it’s all about the eggplant! In this article we will talk about the most delicious, popular and unusual eggplant varieties.
Outlandish and very tasty – what are eggplants
Eggplant did not conquer Russia immediately. He came to us in the XNUMXth century and, before getting his current name, as soon as he was not named. Pakistan, podlizhanka, badarzhan, baglazhan, blue, demyanka – it’s all about him. At first, it was not grown at all for food. Boiled eggplant was used to treat toothache, juice – gout, but they refused to eat – because of bitterness. It took several centuries for this berry (yes, yes!) to firmly take its place on the Russian menu.
Today, perhaps, you will not find a single gardener who does not have the fruits of this plant in the garden: lilac, purple, white, light purple. Let’s talk about these “rainbow” eggplants today.
One early name for eggplant – “blue ones” – has survived to this day. But now it is not true at all. The color range of its fruits is very diverse. There are even exotic ones. For example, a variety with bright and yellow fruits like the sun – “Golden Eggs” is a gift to the world of gardeners from Dutch breeders. According to the content of carotene, it is the champion among its relatives, it has an oblong shape, and it should be eaten when it is still green. If you reach its ripeness, you will get bitter pulp. So get out early!
Eggplant “Golden Eggs”
Do you want to diversify the beds with color? Take a closer look at the variety “Delicate”. Having grown it, you will receive not only a tasty fruit with a tender, bitter-free flesh, but also a joy for the eyes. Because this fruit is unusually bright, striped, purple-lilac. And this variety has an undeniable plus – the lack of moisture is not terrible for him.
Eggplant “Tenderest”
There are also white eggplants. For example, the variety “Swan”. It has the most delicate snow-white color, generously bears fruit, and you can serve it on the table already in the middle of summer. When cooking, soaking “Swan” is not required – its pulp is not bitter, very tender, almost without seeds.
Eggplant “Swan”
Early variety “Black Magic”. What color will the fruits be – says the name. Eggplants of this variety are large, of an unusual shape – spherical, and the pulp is also very tender, white, and tastes like mushrooms. This variety will please with fruits for a long time – due to the long period of fruiting.
Eggplant “Black Magic”
But back to the colored varieties and learn more about the Apple Green eggplant variety.. Not only are its fruits yellow-green in color, but also a peculiar shape and size – like a big apple. They have a very thin skin, white non-darkening flesh and an unusual exquisite taste. Such a variety will please the harvest for a long time – until the very frost. And you can also grow it and get fruits not only in the open field, but also on the windowsill, at home.
Eggplant “Green Apple”
The name of another variety speaks about the color of its fruits – “Green”. If you plant it, you will admire the green, plum-shaped and sized eggplants. It also has an unusual flesh color – also greenish, or rather, greenish-white. It tastes without bitterness, with a bright mushroom taste – you can safely serve guests on the table like fried mushrooms. This variety is not afraid of diseases and frosts, it ripens early.
Eggplant “Green”
The Red Ruffled variety will add red color to the garden. It has small, tomato or round pepper shaped red fruits. But while the fruit turns red, it will turn green, and light green, and yellow, and orange, each time delighting you with a new shade. There are a lot of them on the bush, and it is also a self-pollinating variety. True, one drawback should still be noted: from the moment the fruit turns red, it is no longer possible to eat it – it becomes bitter. So you can define this variety as decorative, it is eaten only unripe, to the point of redness, but in its ripe form it remains on the bushes for a very long time. This variety is well suited for canning due to its color and size.
Eggplant “Red Ruffled”
You can talk about eggplant endlessly – humanity knows many of its varieties. Choose any, plant, grow and eat for health!
