Baka's recipes [was Re: SC - Jelly Bean and other flavours

[Susan Fox-Davis]

Eggplant (Solanum melongena) is native to SE Asia.  The most common variant
is the purple one, var. esculenta, but it also comes in white and striped
varieties.  It is commonly believed the Arabs found it in India after the
invasion of 712 and imported it to North Africa, Spain and Sicily.  

The plant may have come to India after Nearchus' invasion (approx. 325 BCE)
or been overlooked by the Macedonian general.  The plant was unknown to the
Romans.

Bear

> I've just ran across a paarticular notation in a cookbook I've been
> enjoying. The book is "A Taste of Ancient Rome" by Ilaria 
> Gozzini Giacosa
> and translated by Anna Herklotz.  The reference appears in the second
> chapter where she gives a (much appreciated) run down of 
> those foods which
> are _not_ Roman due to being New World.  She than includes 
> (this is what
> puzzles me) Eggplant with the list of foods which include 
> corn, sweet and
> hot peppers and turkey.
> 
> I've seen eggplant or "aubergine" referenced in many (many) 
> recipes and
> sources, is this a mistranslation or is eggplant in the 
> recipes (especially
> middle east) something besides what my concept of eggplant is?
> 
> Saffia al Sabia