Eggplant 2020

[mecktom]

I agree Scott...Millionaire is the best I have ever planted! Productive and tasty.

[ac21686]

Started getting Millionaire a few days ago. Plant looks loaded. Fruit are shiny, tender, and have plenty of eggplant flavor with no bitterness. Even the larger ones show no discernible difference in quality. If I’m being super nitpicky, the skin is a bit tougher than say, Mitoyo’s, which I can cut through with a fork with no resistance. Not a big deal by any means.

Today is the first day picking the green Shiromaru eggplant. Baker Creek is always a little over the top in their descriptions, but I can’t wait to try it! Hopefully I attached the picture correctly.

[NewWestGardener]

Looks lovely! Is Millionaire OP or a hybrid?

Originally Posted by ac21686

Started getting Millionaire a few days ago. Plant looks loaded. Fruit are shiny, tender, and have plenty of eggplant flavor with no bitterness. Even the larger ones show no discernible difference in quality. If I’m being super nitpicky, the skin is a bit tougher than say, Mitoyo’s, which I can cut through with a fork with no resistance. Not a big deal by any means.

Today is the first day picking the green Shiromaru eggplant. Baker Creek is always a little over the top in their descriptions, but I can’t wait to try it! Hopefully I attached the picture correctly.

[ac21686]

It is a Japanese hybrid, I believe. We are growing about 75 of these here at our garden center. I've had a few repeat customers on the Millionaires. Good size, don't look THAT different from a "normal" or "classic" eggplant (but better tasting), etc. Waiting on Listada de Gandia and Aswad. I'm hoping the latter is not just known for its massive size.

[ac21686]

Shiromaru is outstanding. Rich flavor, tender, thin skinned. My usual prep is very simple - slice into discs, sauté in olive oil with salt, black and hot pepper, oregano and a bit of chopped garlic at the end. Loved it!

[zipcode]

Originally Posted by NewWestGardener

Looks lovely! Is Millionaire OP or a hybrid?

A hybrid, here is the original page - https://www.takii.co.jp/CGI/tsk/shoh...=5&daigi_flg=0

Can't really find it anywhere for sale in Europe, and doesn't seem terribly popular in Japan, certainly nothing like senryo ni go (Moneymaker nr 2).

The chinese 'black dragon' types are probably better, with very thin skin, and very straight fruit (also very productive), if you can get your hands on them of course.

That shiromaru seems fairly different compared to Xi'an green, more fluted and flattened on one side, not like the shiromaru I saw in japanese youtube which was virtually identical to Xi'an green, this one seems more like Aomaru/ Ao daimaru.

[ac21686]

Zipcode, how is Millionaire vs Moneymaker flavor wise if you've had them both?

This could definitely be Xi'an green, but I'll have to pick more of them and see if I can find videos and pictures. In any event, the eggplant was delicious!

I'd like to find the "Black Dragon" variety. I wonder if this Japanese variety called Nagasaki Long on Baker Creek is similar to it.

[zipcode]

Moneymaker is quite a bit smaller fruit, nothing that exciting imo.
I think the closest to the dragons is Kurume, but the characteristic of the dragons is more straight fruit, and more equal in diameter closer to the neck, I guess they all crossed and selected for the same mutation, since it gives a more visually appealing product (I only have hybrids of this, so it does suggest this characteristic did not exist in an old variety). Kurume is an excellent variety in terms of taste and quality, certainly worth trying.

The ones in the picture seem old due to the fat neck, but are in fact very young.

[ac21686]

Thanks, zip code!

Just tried the first Listada of the season. Not even close to Shiromaru/Xi’an Green/whatever it may be for flavor. Quite bland, unfortunately. It’s possible I seasoned them differently but I can’t see a few grains of salt making up the difference. I’m hoping the later fruits will be more flavorful.

[zipcode]

White fleshed eggplant are milder tasting than green fleshed fruit, it's just how it is. All the eggplants with an underlying white skin are white fleshed (I don't think I've seen any with greenish skin have pure white flesh)