As a kid I can always remember my siblings and I cringing at the idea of an eggplant dish for dinner. But now, I find myself dreaming up ways to recreate it in a salad, appetizer or main course! If you're looking to grow your own eggplant, we have plenty of purple and white eggplant still available at Fresh & Fancy Farms! Not to mention, buy one get one half off! But either way, if you decide to stop on by to pick up a plant or head to your local grocer, here are a few things you may not have known about the edible eggplant!

1. Eggplant is ripe as it grows. Pick it while it's petite or eligible for the county fair and enjoy!

2. Like kids, eggplants are spongelike. So if frying is on the cooking agenda, soak your eggplant slices in cool water. So when it comes time to drench in flour and drop into an oil filled pan, you will have a delectable dish that's not to greasy, crispy on the outside and moist on the inside.

3. The name "eggplant" comes from 18th Century European growers whose yellow or white eggplant resembled goose or hen's eggs.

4. Eggplant is high in potassium, copper, folate, magnesium and fiber. It contains flavonoids and phenols such as caffeic acid and chlorogenic acid, which may fight cancer, viruses, and harmful bacteria, and protect against damaged cells. - David Grotto, 101 Foods That Could Save Your Life