Welcome to
The Maple Hill Hop.
This is a hop for folks who love the outdoors.
Feel free to post about anything that's going on
OUTSIDE
in your neck of the woods,
no matter the season.
no matter the season.
(Please share only outdoor posts.)
*Please link back to Maple Hill 101.*
Eggplant is a fall crop here,
but we're still growing it heading into spring.
We've got two varieties growing in the garden.
This is the Epic variety, also known as Dusky, from the Jung Seed Company.
My farmer friend Lynn introduced these to me,
and I haven't looked back since.
With around a 60-day maturity rate,
these beauties will produce multiple fruit on one plant.
Once you see these sweet flowers show up,
you know you're soon in store for garden bounty.
This heirloom variety, Listada De Gandia, takes a bit longer to mature,
and produces much smaller fruit.
These are thinner-skinned, so peeling isn't necessary.
The bright purple-speckled skin is too pretty not to keep!
Not sure what happened to this one, but who cares, as long as it tastes good!
I never tire of reading about different varieties of veggies.
Seed catalogues are a source of fascination and rapture.
The more I learn, the more I feel the pull toward growing heirlooms.
It just seems like the right thing to do.
A third variety of eggplant will be added to the mix this weekend.
We'll give an update on that before long.
Once I get some of these goodies harvested,
you can be sure I'll be whipping up some of
Mimi's ratatouille.
I know she'd approved.
What's going (growing) on outside where you are?
HOP ON!
Eggplant is not a vegetable that I grow, but got some from a friend last year...made eggplant parmesean ;-) Have a great day!
ReplyDeleteLori
Yumm! I hope you'll give it a go!
DeleteDaisy, the indicator that I use for encouragement that Spring is on the way is the tulip bed. When the tulips start poking their nose up through the frozen dirt, I know that Winter weather is on the way out. That day has arrived. Both the Tulips and the Daffodils have begun there growth toward Spring flowering. It always amazes me how they know when to start growing when the ground is so frozen. It's one of the mysteries of nature. The forecast, other than the 3 degrees for tonight, is warmer. Highs in the 50s and 60s over the next 10 days will certainly feel like Spring. Yippie!!
ReplyDeleteThe forecast for the next 10 days is for the high temperatures to be in the 50s and 60s. That sure will make it feel like Spring time.
Have a great Mimi's ratatouille day.
Whoopeee! Let's hear it for the tulips! You'll be digging in the dirt in no time.
DeleteI've never even tried eggplant. And I hear such good things about it. Stubborn? What is my problem??
ReplyDeleteI know my dad grew it about 40 years ago, and my mom didn't like it. Maybe that's what has me stuck.
They are truly beautiful.
Sue, if you just saute it in a pan with some olive oil, salt, pepper and Italian herbs, you'll love it! I think you should grow some this year!
DeleteYour eggplant is beautiful. I am always looking for more eggplant recipes, so thank you for that.
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
Deborah
I can't take the credit. That's God's work! ;0)
DeleteWell...He did wonderful. And I bet they tasted wonderful. Can you preserve eggplant? We use it to make pizza crusts, but not much else. I wonder how well it would store?
DeleteI've never preserved it. Sometimes it doesn't even make it to the fridge because I keep eating it as I'm pan-frying it. If you mean in a root cellar, I think it might get soft. I guess you could try one to see how it does in storage!
DeleteThose eggplants are beautiful ~ even the pinocchio one! We don't like them (probably never really gave them a chance), but they're so pretty, it makes me want to grow them anyway. :-)
ReplyDeleteI hope you'll give it a try, it is a delicious veggie, but not for everyone. You could always grow them and give them to neighbors!
Delete