Moussaka on the Hoof

Ever wonder what an eggplant flower looks like? Well, here ya go. The blossoms are like those of many other Solanums, but on steroids. Yep, eggplant is a member of the same family as potatoes, tomatoes, peppers and deadly nightshade. You might ask yourself why some of them are edible and others are not. It depends on the level of certain alkaloids (notably solanine). Most of us know that you shouldn't eat the leaves or flowers of any of the Solanaceae, and that the eyes and greened-up portion of potatoes which have been exposed to light should be cut away before preparing. That's where the highest concentrations of solanine occur. However, we're not likely to make that mistake because solanine also renders those parts quite bitter, making them distasteful to garden predators like groundhogs and bunny rabbits. Other Solanaceae like bittersweet and deadly nightshade have high (even lethal) concentrations of solanine throughout the entire plant. Finally, it should be said that some people are more sensitive to solanine than others, and should avoid any plant in the family which is otherwise considered edible. As for me, I like a nice moussaka.