Help me love cherries - Page 3

May 30, 2013

For many years, only the bitter varieties were available in grocery stores. If you didn't salt them to remove all the water, they were horribly bitter. When the oriental varieties became available, I grew to love eggplant also. I use it as a star attraction from the grill or as a filler with other veggies in many dishes. I suppose one of my favorite dishes is eggplant parmesan or more accurately eggplant Parmigiano-Reggiano. Eggplant is also one of the easiest, most productive plants I grow.

Like you, my young eggplants are severely attacked by flea beetles. Those plants which survive the beetle attacks sit patiently waiting for really hot weather. When the hot weather arrives and other plants are hoping to simply die in the heat, the eggplants explode in growth and production. I'm growing three varieties this year and I'm thinking of many ways to use them.

I think of eggplant as the tofu of the vegetable world. It doesn't have an outstanding taste unless it is coupled with a good olive oil or fresh herbs or other seasonings which make it shine. Eggplant cooked with a couple of hand fulls of cherry tomatoes and some basil is also great.

Ted

Redbaron · May 30, 2013

Ted,
Boy I hope you are right Ted. This is the first year I ever managed to get a single eggplant past the flea beetles and other early pests!! I have one plant about a foot tall. It's leaves are tattered by hail, nipped by frost, chewed by beetles. But it is still standing strong so far and even starting to produce new foliage!

Hate to put all my eggs in one basket (pun intended), but I am hoping this is my breakthrough year!

KathyDC · May 30, 2013

Wow thank you everyone for the suggestions! I now have about a million new plants to try growing, so thank you - and pray for my growing tomato addiction!

Ted/Redbaron, I never much cared for eggplants, but last year we had great success with eggplants in our raised bed and I found that harvesting them when young (and smaller than what you usually see in the grocery stores) helped cut down on that bitter taste. In fact I have rather come to like them. I got a grill pan and we would just slice them into rounds, brush with olive oil/salt and pepper, toss them on the grill pan and eat them just like that, all summer long. Good luck with yours!

Kathy

Kazfam · May 30, 2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by tedln

For many years, only the bitter varieties were available in grocery stores. If you didn't salt them to remove all the water, they were horribly bitter. When the oriental varieties became available, I grew to love eggplant also. I use it as a star attraction from the grill or as a filler with other veggies in many dishes. I suppose one of my favorite dishes is eggplant parmesan or more accurately eggplant Parmigiano-Reggiano. Eggplant is also one of the easiest, most productive plants I grow.

Like you, my young eggplants are severely attacked by flea beetles. Those plants which survive the beetle attacks sit patiently waiting for really hot weather. When the hot weather arrives and other plants are hoping to simply die in the heat, the eggplants explode in growth and production. I'm growing three varieties this year and I'm thinking of many ways to use them.

I think of eggplant as the tofu of the vegetable world. It doesn't have an outstanding taste unless it is coupled with a good olive oil or fresh herbs or other seasonings which make it shine. Eggplant cooked with a couple of hand fulls of cherry tomatoes and some basil is also great.

Ted

Ted: OK - inspired - I'll try some next year - oriental variety.

As to the OP's original question...can't beat cherries in a salad with a fresh lemon vinaigrette. They have their place. I'm trying the Large Red Cherry this year because of their supposed golf-ball size and drought tolerance.

The plants look good so far. Here's hoping.

KathyDC · May 30, 2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kazfam

I'm trying the Large Red Cherry this year because of their supposed golf-ball size and drought tolerance.

Don't know about drought tolerance, but I'm growing a tomato this year called Dingwall Scotty that's supposed to have fruit of about the same size. Will see how it does.

Kathy

livinonfaith · May 31, 2013

If you want a good non bitter eggplant for grilling, Ping Tung is very nice. They are long and slim and pretty prolific.

The pretty lavender color is just an added bonus. I don't even peel them. Just cut them into hunks, skewer them with tomatoes, onions and peppers and grill them with olive oil and spices.

Yum!

May 30, 2013	#31
tedln Guest Posts: n/a	For many years, only the bitter varieties were available in grocery stores. If you didn't salt them to remove all the water, they were horribly bitter. When the oriental varieties became available, I grew to love eggplant also. I use it as a star attraction from the grill or as a filler with other veggies in many dishes. I suppose one of my favorite dishes is eggplant parmesan or more accurately eggplant Parmigiano-Reggiano. Eggplant is also one of the easiest, most productive plants I grow. Like you, my young eggplants are severely attacked by flea beetles. Those plants which survive the beetle attacks sit patiently waiting for really hot weather. When the hot weather arrives and other plants are hoping to simply die in the heat, the eggplants explode in growth and production. I'm growing three varieties this year and I'm thinking of many ways to use them. I think of eggplant as the tofu of the vegetable world. It doesn't have an outstanding taste unless it is coupled with a good olive oil or fresh herbs or other seasonings which make it shine. Eggplant cooked with a couple of hand fulls of cherry tomatoes and some basil is also great. Ted Last edited by tedln; May 30, 2013 at 11:02 AM.

May 30, 2013	#32
Redbaron Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 4,488	Ted, Boy I hope you are right Ted. This is the first year I ever managed to get a single eggplant past the flea beetles and other early pests!! I have one plant about a foot tall. It's leaves are tattered by hail, nipped by frost, chewed by beetles. But it is still standing strong so far and even starting to produce new foliage! Hate to put all my eggs in one basket (pun intended), but I am hoping this is my breakthrough year! __________________ Scott AKA The Redbaron "Permaculture is a philosophy of working with, rather than against nature; of protracted & thoughtful observation rather than protracted & thoughtless labour; & of looking at plants & animals in all their functions, rather than treating any area as a single-product system." Bill Mollison co-founder of permaculture

May 30, 2013	#33
KathyDC Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Suburban Washington, DC (Zone 7A) Posts: 347	Wow thank you everyone for the suggestions! I now have about a million new plants to try growing, so thank you - and pray for my growing tomato addiction! Ted/Redbaron, I never much cared for eggplants, but last year we had great success with eggplants in our raised bed and I found that harvesting them when young (and smaller than what you usually see in the grocery stores) helped cut down on that bitter taste. In fact I have rather come to like them. I got a grill pan and we would just slice them into rounds, brush with olive oil/salt and pepper, toss them on the grill pan and eat them just like that, all summer long. Good luck with yours! Kathy Last edited by KathyDC; May 30, 2013 at 12:21 PM.

May 31, 2013	#36
livinonfaith Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Fuquay-Varina, North Carolina Posts: 1,332	If you want a good non bitter eggplant for grilling, Ping Tung is very nice. They are long and slim and pretty prolific. The pretty lavender color is just an added bonus. I don't even peel them. Just cut them into hunks, skewer them with tomatoes, onions and peppers and grill them with olive oil and spices. Yum!