Freshness Guaranteed: Producer’s Top Tips to Pick the Best Eggplants!

In the kitchen, the quality of an eggplant can make all the difference. Whether it’s roasted in the oven, melted into a moussaka, turned into eggplant caviar, or simply pan-fried with olive oil, it needs to be firm with dense flesh. On the other hand, an overripe eggplant can ruin a dish: it becomes spongy, soaks up too much oil during cooking, and is filled with seeds that can affect its texture. As Yann Jacques, an eggplant grower from the Loire Valley, puts it, “The more mature the eggplants, the more seeds they develop.” Luckily, he has a foolproof tip for picking the perfect dark purple vegetable.

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When shopping for the best eggplants, many people squeeze them to check their firmness, but this method isn’t always reliable—or considerate to other shoppers. As the grower explains, the feel can be deceiving. “Some eggplants are refrigerated and may seem fresh at first. However, once they warm up at home, they quickly become soft because they don’t handle the cold well,” warns Yann Jacques. Actually, you don’t need to feel every eggplant in the store. He shares a visual clue that never fails.

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Firmness isn’t the only way to assess an eggplant’s freshness. “The calyx is also a good indicator,” says Yann Jacques. This is the part where the stem connects: the eggplant’s little ‘hat.’ “When it’s green and glossy, it’s a sign of freshness,” the grower notes. If it’s turning brown, it’s a bad sign: the eggplant is starting to age. Another clue is the shine of its skin. The brighter it is, the fresher the eggplant. Conversely, if it looks dull, it’s probably been sitting out too long.

By simply observing the color of the calyx and the shine of the skin, you can choose fresh eggplants that are ready to be perfectly tender when cooked. This way, you can ace your recipes without having to turn the produce aisle into a squeeze session.