At this stage of the year, there's not a whole lot of variety in our local farmers market. The heat has wilted all but the hardiest of the summer produce. But there's one vegetable in particular that seems to thrive in these conditions...
Eggplant, aubergine, brinjal, call them whatever you like. I prefer to use the Japanese word nasu [茄子, なす], rather than the American or French/English equivalents — mainly because few of them are anything like egg-shaped, nor are they necessarily aubergine in colour.
Here's a selection of what was on sale the other morning...
classic Japanese nasu
naga ("long") nasu
shiro-naga ("white long") nasu
shiro-naga ("white long") nasu – a green variety that, according to the sign, has the delicate soft texture of avocado
shiro ("white") nasu - now these really do look like eggs
"fairytale" nasu
tai ("Thai") green nasu - they stay firm when simmered, says the sign, so they're good in curries.
hisui ("jade") nasu - soft, with little aku (brackishness)
shirakami nasu – "meltingly soft and delicious", says the sign.
itaria ("Italian") nasu
sarada ("salad") nasu
mizu nasu – a speciality of Kyoto, mizu (literally "water") nasu are traditionally the only variety ever served raw. They also, as the sign says, make excellent pickes.
"fairytale" nasu – in another hue
bei ("American") nasu
gochiso "feast" nasu [on the right]
