Discover Local Japanese Eggplant!

Product Code - 2740

Japanese Eggplant is one of the most talked about local additions from Flower Pot Greenery located in New Castle, Indiana. Eggplant, often thought of as a vegetable, is actually a fruit related to potatoes, tomatoes and peppers. Native to Southern and Southeastern Asia, Japanese Eggplant has been used by Indian, Chinese and Japanese cooks for thousands of years. Interchangeable with regular eggplant in many of your favorite eggplant recipes, Japanese Eggplant is distinguishable by its long, narrow shape and deep purple color (the white variety is Chinese). Actually more delicate in flavor, Japanese Eggplant has thinner skin, smoother flesh, and fewer seeds than the common eggplant. Eggplant lovers are always excited when they discover new varieties of their beloved vegetable!

When a thin-skinned eggplant is desired, Japanese eggplant is the ideal variety. This tender oriental eggplant is excellent baked, fried, deep-fried, roasted, sautéed, grilled, braised, broiled, stewed or microwaved. Braise slices in a curry sauce. For eggplant salsa, chop broiled or roasted eggplant; blend with diced roasted green and red bell peppers, onion, garlic and black olive slices; add a small amount of oil and vinegar or lemon juice. Serve with favorite chips or French bread. Top broiled or sautéed eggplant with fresh herbs, chopped tomatoes; sprinkle with grated cheese. Broil just until cheese is melted. Mash or puree eggplant until smooth; add sesame butter, lemon juice, parsley and garlic. Serve on crackers or in pita pocket bread. Add eggplant's appealing texture to pasta sauces, soups, stews and omelets. Order your 25# case today!

Celery - The Salinas Valley celery season is in full stride, and supplies are ample. Quality is excellent, and the market is expected to hold near current levels heading into the week of July 26. The Salinas Valley crop is peaking on 24s followed by 30s. The Oxnard season is over, and its 30-day soil moratorium began July 15. California acreage will decrease in late July in anticipation of the Michigan crop, which is expected to start in the near term.

Iceberg Lettuce - California Central Coast lettuce shippers reduce their lettuce acreage as much as 20 percent during the summer months in anticipation of regional deals and diverted demand toward melons, grapes and stone fruit. The net result is a more manageable volume to control and market. Salinas shippers are seeing a brief increase in local production which is expected to return to seasonal levels the week of July 26. Shippers also said that the recent downturn in demand is beginning to soften the market. Colorado's lettuce deal began the week of July 12 and offered supplies to regional processors. Colorado shippers will soon pack carton lettuce and compete for market share in the Midwest and East. The lettuce industry depends on longhaul trucks to move the crop to market. Truck availability on the West Coast has been sporadic and expensive dating back to April. Today's tight truck market is compounded by the melon, stone fruit and grape deals, which compete for the same set of limited trucks.

Russets - Over the past 30 days, the underlining premise of the Idaho russet market has moved 180 degrees, from surpluses to shortages. The initial thought of an overlap between crops has been replaced with demand exceeds supply. Pack outs continue to fall, and Idaho shippers have been overrun with extra demand since the Wisconsin and Colorado seasons ended earlier this month. The russet market will be a runaway until new-crop supplies from Idaho and Washington become available next month. Persistent cool temperatures throughout the spring and early summer have delayed the start of new-crop russets in Idaho and Washington. Washington shippers hope to start their new-crop Norkotahs the week of Aug. 2. Idaho shippers don't expect new-crop supplies from western Idaho until Aug. 12- 16. The first eastern Idaho supplies won't start until Aug. 16-23.