There is no consensus about the place of origin of eggplant; the plant species has been described as native to India, where it continues to grow wild, Africa, or South Asia. It has been cultivated in southern and eastern Asia since prehistory.
What country is eggplant native to?
India
Its origin is considered to be India where it continues to grow wild. This spiny, bitter, orange, pea-sized fruit has been cultivated throughout India and China for more than 1500 years. As trade routes opened, eggplant was introduced to Europe by the Arabs and transported to Africa by the Persians.
Who brought eggplant to Europe?
The Spanish Moors
The Spanish Moors introduced the eggplant into southern and Eastern Europe where it became very popular. The early explorers of the New World introduced eggplant into the Americas in the 1500s, but the plant never caught on.
What are eggplants called in Europe?
Aubergine (UK) / Eggplant (US)
The word aubergine, used in the UK, comes from French. The word eggplant, which Americans use, was popular in different parts of Europe because they were more used to seeing small, round, white versions that looked a bit like goose eggs.
When did eggplants originate?
Food historians have traced eggplants to their origins in either India or China. Some records show that eggplants were cultivated as early as 50 BCE. Travelers carried the fruit west to Europe, then eventually it arrived in America, thanks to Thomas Jefferson bringing seeds back from France.
When did eggplants come to Europe?
Moors Took Eggplant to Europe
In northern Europe it was first mentioned by Albert of Cologne in the 13th century, but not until the middle of the 16th century was it well known there. Yellow and purple varieties were introduced into Germany from Naples about 1550.
How did eggplant get to Italy?
The eggplant arrived in Italy during the 15th century – when the Arabs brought it from India.
What do Italians call an eggplant?
Melanzane
Melanzane, or eggplant, is a staple of Southern Italian cooking.
Are eggplants native to America?
There is no consensus about the place of origin of eggplant; the plant species has been described as native to India, where it continues to grow wild, Africa, or South Asia. It has been cultivated in southern and eastern Asia since prehistory.
Why is eggplant so popular in Italy?
Eggplant has long been a classic ingredient in Italian cuisine. Originally introduced by Arabs traveling to Sicily, Italian farmers embraced eggplants making them a symbolic vegetable of the culture.
What do British people call Americans?
Yankee is sometimes abbreviated as “Yank.” People from all over the world, including Great Britain, Australia, and South America, use the term to describe Americans.
What do they call an eggplant in England?
Aubergine
Aubergine + Eggplant = Eggbergine Aubergine and eggplant are exactly the same thing with the only difference being their translation. The English know the fruit as aubergine and Americans know it was an eggplant. Brinjal is also a name used in Asia.
Why do British call eggplant aubergine?
Eggplant or Aubergine
The British have borrowed quite a few foods terms from their French neighbors and none is more well-known than aubergine,known as eggplant in the U.S.. The word aubergine comes from the Catalan word alberginia, which came from the Arabic al-badhinjan and the Persian word badingan before that.
Are eggplants grown in Greece?
One of these exclusive fruits is the white eggplant, which is quite large in size and has a savory sweet taste. It is the second most famous kind of eggplant (after the purple one) in Greece and you can only find it on Santorini. These aubergines grow on Santorini because of its rich volcanic soil and warm climate.
How did the eggplant evolve naturally?
‘ The team found that the group containing the relatives of the aubergine originated in northeastern Africa some two million years ago. Plants then dispersed eastwards to tropical Asia, and to southern and western Africa. In Asia, the dispersal gave rise to a species that scientists call Solanum insanum.
What is eggplant called in Greece?
The Italians called it ‘Melanzana’ and the Greeks ‘Melintzana‘. In Greece there are mainly two varieties – the elongated purple eggplants with whitish-pink stripes, and the large, plump eggplants with dark purple skin. There is also a white eggplant which is cultivated on the beautiful island of Santorini.
What came first eggplant or aubergine?
Aubergine is a French word, and it is how Europeans refer to what Americans would typically call an eggplant. We call it eggplant because the original aubergine that was brought to North America by immigrants looked like white eggs.
Why do they call an eggplant an eggplant?
Well, way back in the 1700s, early European versions of eggplant were smaller and yellow or white. They looked like goose or chicken eggs, which led to the name “eggplant.” The eggplant has been around for a long, long time. It’s native to India and Southeast Asia.
Is eggplant parmesan actually Italian?
Eggplant parmigiana hails from coastal southern Italy, and it’s a dish originally born slightly of necessity — with a helping of irony.
Does eggplant parmesan exist in Italy?
Eggplant parmesan is a traditional southern Italian dish, the Italian name is parmigiana alle melanzane. Eggplant parmesan is made with eggplant, mozzarella (or provola), parmigiano reggiano, tomato sauce, olive oil, and basil.
Who invented fried eggplant?
The eggplant on which the dish is based may have originated in Africa, and the frying in deep oil is one of the major African culinary methods brought to this country by slave cooks.