for me (since i haven't grown other varieties yet aside from my current growlist), japanese eggplant are sweeter than our local varieties.

;)

For me Florida Market was a major struggle to get started, don't know why. It took me until late July last year to get the seedlings into the ground, as they died one after another when I planted them. Finally got two to shrivel up a bit then bounce back three weeks later. They began producing in late November, just before frost. This year out of about 10 seed cups started, 2 survived long enough to go in the ground. They've become the biggest eggplants, though they were outproduced by the smaller and better germinating ukranian beauty that I ordered this year. That must be why gardening is a challenge-- what works in one place doesn't necessarily work in another.

Kamo and Violette Di Firenze are my best this year. Applegreen was good also, but not close to the other two in flavor.

Rosa Bianca. Nothing else comes close except the round white eggplant I used to grow on my farm in NJ in the 80's and 90's. I bought the plants from local Italian farmer friends and they were just called Sicilian eggplant.

I'm not too much into eggplant, but I really like Kashalot. It's dark purple, bell-shaped, and not bitter even when allowed to get fairly large and stay on the plants for a while. Got seed from Andrey several years ago - it's a good one.

I've grown a couple fat Italian type and then one long slender type. As NCT has said the biggest difference is texture. I found that the Italian types do well if you roast them in the oven. If you try to fry them in the pan they get rubbery. The long slender type that I grew, Pingtung Long, resembled the creamy textured eggplant that I would find in some Chinese restaurants.

I recommend growing one of each type and see which you prefer. Pingtung Long has earned a perennial spot in my garden.

I grew several varieties of eggplant last summer and gave extras to a Turkish family nearly. By the end of the summer they declared that the Rosa Bianca was the best tasting eggplant they had ever grown. I love all my eggplants but will be more conscious this summer of comparing flavors. I really like the long ones such as Ping Tung Long and Farmer's Long as well as the white ones like Caspar. When they are picked young and not allowed to get big and bitter they all taste great to me!

Hansel is pumping out small fruit here in CT well ahead of 4 other varieties I have.

[QUOTE=beefyboy;147880]I personally have never grown an eggplant as flavorful and easy to grow as Ichiban. It reqiures no soaking of the fruit, bears early, and even holds up to Florida summers.[/QUOTE]

I agree. It is a beautiful fruit, long and curling, and the taste is rich eggplant.

Kamo is the best tasting eggplant I have ever grown, hands down.

I also loved Kamo...runner's up are Italian White and Round Mauve....

Jeanne

Mitoyo, from Japan. Better than Kamo. It's sweet even raw, or when overripe. Simply a master piece. I remember konatsu as also very good.

Good recommendation, Ilex. I will try Mitoyo next year.

Rosa Bianca, Ping Tung, Malaysian Dark Red and Violeta di Firenza were the best for me. Hoping to try Mitoyo and Kamo...

Found another great one ... "Verde de Villareal". Good tasting even at seed saving.