Produce Briefs...
Orange Honeydew Melon
Oval-to-round and a delicious cross between a cantaloupe and a honeydew, the very fleshy juicy orangish-yellow pulp of the orange honeydew melon is encased in a hard very yellow matching rind.
Mangosteen
The Purple mangosteen, botanical name Garcinia magostana, simply referred to as mangosteen, is an ultra-tropical slow growing evergreen tree that is cultivated for its edible fruit.
Seasons/Availability
Tiger eggplants are available mid to late summer.
Current Facts
All eggplants are members of Solanaceae family, which includes several important agricultural crops, including the potato and tomato. The family is also informally referred to as the nightshade family. Tiger eggplant is a given name to a variety of eggplants within the Solanum genus. The name Solanum applies to thousands of eggplant varieties which share common ancestry and genomes, yet vary in shape, color, size and even flavor. Tiger eggplant may actually be another name for two very distinctly botanically different eggplants, Solanum integrifolium, known as the Pumpkin eggplant and the Turkish Orange eggplant, scientifically classified as Solanum aethiopicum L. Botanically, though, it is most likely that the Tiger and the Turkish Orange eggplant are one in the same.
Description/Taste
Tiger eggplant is distinguished by its petite size, globular shape and linear variegations throughout its skin, hence its given name. When ripe the fruit will be colored in hues of red, orange and green. Its warm cotton colored flesh bears barely developed seeds that will brown when exposed to air (oxidization). Tiger eggplant is full flavored and fruity compared to many other varieties classified as Solanum melongena. Cooked Tiger eggplant is robust, warm and rich in flavor.
Nutritional Value
Tiger eggplants are an inherently rich source of lycopene, a naturally occuring pigment that doubles as an antioxidant. The Lycopene is contained within the eggplant's skin and develops once the fruit ripens. Lycopene is known for its anti-cancer benefits such as preventing, fighting and repairing cell damage within human bodies.
Applications
Regardless of size, Tiger eggplant can be as versatile as larger eggplant varieties and each fruit yields no waste as the skin is edible. Applications range from grilling, shallow and deep frying, baking, pureeing, stewing, stuffing and pickling. Eggplant’s overall culinary companions are other members of the nightshade family, including tomatoes, potatoes and peppers, both sweet and hot. The fruit also pairs well with garlic, onions and herbs such as basil, oregano, cilantro and parsley.
Geography/History
Eggplant is native to Nepal, India, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Unlike other members of the Solanaceae family, which are native to the New World, eggplant varieties are native to the Old world. Eggplant has been cultivated in southern and eastern Asia prior to recorded history. The first documentation of eggplant is found within the Qí mín yào shù, an ancient Chinese agricultural manual completed in 544. It can be contested that Tiger eggplant is an offspring of Asian varieties but most references actually cite first cultivation in Africa. Only via trade routes and the natural evolution did the Tiger eggplant begin being domesticated outside of Africa, first within the fertile Crescent, then Asia and Italy. Tiger eggplants continue to grow wild and domesticated throughout Africa. Their climate preference, like most eggplants, is hot and humid with absolutely no chance of frost.
Recipe Ideas
Recipes that include Tiger Eggplant. One
is easiest, three is harder.| Tigers and Strawberries |
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Hyderabadi Bagara Baigan: Eggplant Curry In a Peanut Sauce |
