What is this?

[Jack]

The above is a picture of a common fruit/vegetable that is often eaten fried or in salads of various sorts. What do you call it?

Do you usually refer to it as an eggplant, an aubergine, or something else entirely (explain)?

[djm]

Definitions of aubergine on the Web:

* Purple fruit, used as a vegetable. Also known as an eggplant. Another (Indian) word for eggplant or aubergine is brinjal.
www.aaa-recipes.com/glossary/glossarya.html

* 1. eggplant. 2. dark purple colour.
www.artistwd.com/joyzine/australia/strine/a-7.php

* The North American word for aubergine is eggplant. While there are many varieties grown in Asian, the term Chinese eggplant refers to the narrow, purple variety that can be streaked with white (it looks somewhat like a purple zucchini). Interestingly, Asian recipes don't normally call for eggplant to be salted and degorged, as is the custom in western and European cooking.
www.chinesefooddiy.com/glossary_AB.htm

* eggplant: hairy upright herb native to southeastern Asia but widely cultivated for its large glossy edible fruit commonly used as a vegetable
* eggplant: egg-shaped vegetable having a shiny skin typically dark purple but occasionally white or yellow
wordnet.princeton.edu/perl/webwn

* An eggplant, brinjal or aubergine is either of two species of nightshade, Solanum melongena and S. esculentum, bearing large pendulous purple or white fruit. The raw fruit has a spongelike texture and somewhat disagreeable taste, but on cooking becomes tender and develops a rich, complex flavor. It is especially useful culinarily owing to its ability to absorb great amounts of cooking fats, making possible extraordinarily rich dishes.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aubergine

Ain't Google wonderful?

djm

[The Weekenders]

If you live in the US, you call it an eggplant. If you live in England or France, you call it an aubergine. In Italy it's a melanzana. In India it's a brinjal. I don't know any other furrin' words for it.

(Simultaneous post.)

[Walden]

There was a trend in 19th Century England to replace common names with more sophisticated-sounding French names. The eggplant fell victim to that.

[Jack]

Definitions of aubergine on the Web:

* Purple fruit, used as a vegetable. Also known as an eggplant. Another (Indian) word for eggplant or aubergine is brinjal.
www.aaa-recipes.com/glossary/glossarya.html

* 1. eggplant. 2. dark purple colour.
www.artistwd.com/joyzine/australia/strine/a-7.php

* The North American word for aubergine is eggplant. While there are many varieties grown in Asian, the term Chinese eggplant refers to the narrow, purple variety that can be streaked with white (it looks somewhat like a purple zucchini). Interestingly, Asian recipes don't normally call for eggplant to be salted and degorged, as is the custom in western and European cooking.
www.chinesefooddiy.com/glossary_AB.htm

* eggplant: hairy upright herb native to southeastern Asia but widely cultivated for its large glossy edible fruit commonly used as a vegetable
* eggplant: egg-shaped vegetable having a shiny skin typically dark purple but occasionally white or yellow
wordnet.princeton.edu/perl/webwn

* An eggplant, brinjal or aubergine is either of two species of nightshade, Solanum melongena and S. esculentum, bearing large pendulous purple or white fruit. The raw fruit has a spongelike texture and somewhat disagreeable taste, but on cooking becomes tender and develops a rich, complex flavor. It is especially useful culinarily owing to its ability to absorb great amounts of cooking fats, making possible extraordinarily rich dishes.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aubergine

Ain't Google wonderful?

djm

Psst...in case it wasn't obvious to you, I am polling to see individual C&F members' answers, not google defintions.

[djm]

Psst...in case it wasn't obvious to you, I am polling to see individual C&F members' answers, not google defintions.

Psst ... in case it wasn't obvious to you, I could care less. Perhaps you could make your intentions clearer next time. What kind of "members' answers" did you expect?

djm

[Jack]

Psst...in case it wasn't obvious to you, I am polling to see individual C&F members' answers, not google defintions.

Psst ... in case it wasn't obvious to you, I could care less. Perhaps you could make your intentions clearer next time. What kind of "members' answers" did you expect?

djm

It's for fun, you nimwit.

Perhaps you need to take a nap.

[Tyler]

Psst...in case it wasn't obvious to you, I am polling to see individual C&F members' answers, not google defintions.

Psst ... in case it wasn't obvious to you, I could care less. Perhaps you could make your intentions clearer next time. What kind of "members' answers" did you expect?

djm

It's for fun, you nimwit.

Perhaps you need to take a nap.

ok guys, this is not the way to make friends

[Congratulations]

I call it Evelyn.

[emmline]

I would say eggplant, but refer to the unnatural hair-color favored by French women in the 70s-80s aubergine.

[jsluder]

... but refer to the unnatural hair-color favored by French women in the 70s-80s aubergine.

In which context it is pronounced "AW-ful".

[sweet potato]

When I lived in the US I called it an eggplant and grew it in my garden. When I lived in Scotland I called it an aubergine. Now living in Norway.....it is still called aubergine!

Laura

[Walden]

When I lived in Scotland I called it an aubergine. Now living in Norway.....it is still called aubergine!

It comes from the Persian: بادنجان

[gonzo914]

I lump it in with Brussels sprouts and cauliflower under the general heading "nasty vegetables," as opposed to spinach and peppers, which are "good vegetables," and 'taters, 'maters and corn, which are "great vegetables."

[Cynth]

Psst...in case it wasn't obvious to you, I am polling to see individual C&F members' answers, not google defintions.

Psst ... in case it wasn't obvious to you, I could care less. Perhaps you could make your intentions clearer next time. What kind of "members' answers" did you expect?

djm

djm, I think maybe you are having trouble believing that what you are seeing could really be all that is there.

I, for one, was astonished to learn from your post that the proper term for salting to get the water out of something is "degorge".

Degorge
1. To sprinkle vegetables with salt to eliminate water. Eggplant for example are generally salted and patted dry before cooking. 2. To add cornmeal to water and soak crustaceans in order that they will eliminate the sand in their shells.