Fresh at the Farmers' Market: Excellent Eggplant

Would an eggplant by any other name taste as delicious? This species of nightshade is commonly known in British English as an aubergine, but it also goes by brinjal, brinjal eggplant, melongene, garden egg and guinea squash.

Whatever you call it, the eggplant is versatile veggie that can be sautéed, baked, roasted, stir-fried, deep-fried, stuffed, steamed, grilled, or pureed into a dip — and it's fresh at the farmers' market right now through September.

As the eggplant ages it becomes bitter and the skin toughens, according to the Pacific Coast Farmers' Market Association (PCFMA), so it's best to buy eggplant fresh and use it immediately for the best flavor. 

The local farmers' market offers the large, globe-like Italian and American varieties of eggplant or the longer, thinner, purple Thai or Indian varieties.

Find eggplant recipes like Aubergine Bruschetta on the PCFMA website.

Concord Farmers' Markets

• Todos Santos Plaza, Concord (10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesdays and 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Thursdays)
• Sunvalley Mall (8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays)
• Concord High School (9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sundays)

• Downtown Clayton (8 a.m. to 12 p.m. Saturdays)

• Downtown Pleasant Hill (9 a.m to 1 p.m. Saturdays)
• Pleasant Hill BART (11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesdays)