Eggplant stuff:
This is the beginnings of our Eggplant page to acknowedge our domain name. There is a chance that you came here looking for info about eggplant. I have found that most domains with eggplant in their names don't have anything about the actual fruit and that doesn't seem right.

Yes, eggplant is a fruit just like a tomato, apple or pumpkin, that is, the fruiting body of the plant is that we eat.

Eggplants seem to be native to Asia and have been eaten there for at least 2000 years. 3000-year-old books are pretty rare so we may never now how long ago they were eaten. They were brought to Europe around 1200 years ago and have become a big part of Mediterranean diets.

The big deal with cooking them is to salt them first and get a lot of the water out. Slice them up, put them on a rack and sprinkle them with salt and let them sit for 40 min. or so. Then you can rinse them off and squeeze them out like a sponge.
Here is a recipe from Alton Brown, my favorite celebrity chef.
Eggplant Steaks
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup thick steak sauce
1/2 cup olive oil
2 tablespoon honey
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
8 (1/2-inch) eggplant slices, purged with salt
1 cup grated Parmesan
3 tablespoons chopped parsley, optional
In a small bowl whisk together the Worcestershire, steak sauce, olive oil, honey, and apple cider vinegar. Season with salt and pepper.
Pat your eggplant dry with paper towels. With a pastry brush apply the sauce to both sides of the eggplant. Place eggplant rounds onto a sheet tray fitted with a rack. Place the tray under the broiler for until eggplant is nicely browned, approximately 2 minutes. Turn slices over and place back under broiler to brown the other side. Generously sprinkle freshly grated Parmesan over all of the slices. Place back under the broiler for 1 minute to nicely brown the cheese. Serve plain or sprinkle with freshly chopped herbs.

Here is some stuff from http://whatscookingamerica.net The eggplant is a member of the potato family, and it is known worldwide as aubergine, eggplant, brinjal, melanzana, garden egg, and patlican. It is available year-round, with the peak season during the months of August and September.
Male eggplants tend to have fewer seeds, and are therefore less bitter than female eggplants. To sex an eggplant, look at the indentation at bottom. If it's deep and shaped like a dash, it's a female. If it's shallow and round, it's a male. Smaller eggplants also tend to be less bitter. Freshness is important, so don't store them for very long. Source: The Cook's Thesaurus, by Lori Alden. Purchasing Eggplant: Smaller, immature eggplants are best. Full-size puffy ones may have hard seeds and can be bitter. Choose a firm, smooth-skinned eggplant that is heavy for its size; avoid those with soft or brown spots. Gently push with your thumb or forefinger. If the flesh gives slightly but then bounces back, it is ripe. If the indentation remains, it is overripe and the insides will be mushy. If there is no give, the eggplant was picked too early. Also make sure an eggplant isn't dry inside, knock on it with your knuckles. If you hear a hollow sound, don't buy it. NOTE: Whether or not there is an appreciable difference, I don't know.