I had to ask what this purple and white beauty was at the garden shop, something I always do in a little bit of trepidation in case it is something terribly obvious. Is it just me, does everybody else know what this is?
We played the same guessing game at home. My other half thought that the ridges in the side were reminiscent of a pepper, but the leafy top reminded him of a tomato…
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That’s a cute little eggplant/aubergine, though I wouldn’t know the exact variety. Something Italian, I guess:)
Is it a mishaped Pandora Striped Rose?
Great site, Sophie. Will be coming back for some healthy food recipes, so need it as my jobs involves mainly making delicious but very ‘unhealthy’ cakes and sweet things.
aubergine..!!
Yes, I think it’s an eggplant – which is what we call an aubergine – but I’m not sure what sort. I see these a lot in Indian and Chinese grocers.
Pille, you’ve hit the nail on the head – it’s an Italian aubergine alright. Though I’ve never seen one with ridges like that before, I’ve only ever seen smooth and perfectly rounded ones. The reason it’s shape is somewhat “imperfect” is because you bought it from a garden shop. In supermarkets, all slightly imperfect produce isn’t put on display for fear that customers might realise that what they’re buying was once attached to some form of wildlife. Heaven forbid! You’ve bought this from a garden shop, where I’ll bet the produce is mostly as nature intended, as in looking like it could have actually grown in the wild as opposed to a lab
I´m with Trig, it´s an eggplant – but to me it seems to be a variety that wants to camouflage as a big pumpkin.. hahaha :)
As I’m really near you, I’d LOVE to know where you bought that aubergine … fabulous
I’ve tagged you for a fantastic four meme – I hope it’s your sort of thing
Joanna
joannasfood.blogspot.com
Sigh, you guys are just too good! Or maybe it was me asking something really obvious? I think I was thrown by the funny ridged shape and the big leafy top.
So yes, it is an aubergine/eggplant, and an Italian variety at that (extra points to Pille and Trig for guessing the country!). I’m fairly sure that it is an Italian heirloom variety called Rosa Bianca but I must admit I forgot to double check when I went back for this week’s veg.
It had a great creamy texture and looked fabulously like those cross-section images from a brain scan when I cut it into thick slices. It was very mild and sweet for an aubergine and even my husband who claims not to like aubergine enjoyed this one. Although to be fair I did refuse to tell him what it was until after he had eaten it :-)
Thanks everyone for joining in – I’ll have to go back and see if I can get something more obscure to challenge you with!
p.s Joanna, I have whispered to you where I bought it from. If there is anybody else local to Oxford then drop me an email (they don’t have a web page or anything like that)