FreshPoint

Description:

The Chinese eggplant has a lovely lilac colored, thin skin, delicate flavor, and relatively few seeds. Perhaps the nicest thing about this mellow-flavored plant is its adaptability. Its white mild flesh goes with just about any other food. It harmonizes especially well with strong spices like garlic, cinnamon and aromatic herbs. Slender, and longer than Japanese eggplant, this beautiful vegetable, like all eggplants, contains a toxin and should never be eaten raw. Broil or bake it, however, and Chinese eggplant is a hit. It goes well with tomato-based sauces and provides the perfect shell for stuffing with your favorite meat and rice dish or vegetables and cheese. Salt the spongy flesh before cooking to remove excess water and bitterness. Eggplant has been found to help aid in the protection of brain cells. It also contains important antioxidants, which have been linked to a decreased occurrence of cancer and have been shown to help reduce cholesterol in studies on animals. Receiving Information: Ethylene-sensitive. Do not store or transport with commodities that produce ethylene. Odor sensitive. Do not store next to ginger or onions. Susceptible to chilling injury. Eggplant is sensitive to temperature extremes and requires a cool atmosphere to cut moisture loss. If left at room temperature for several days, produce becomes soft and wrinkled. Small scars on eggplant, commonly caused by wind, do not affect quality.