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Burpee Reports Avalanche of Queries on Eggplant Planting
WARMINSTER, PA (Feb. 15, 2016) — One of home gardening’s unsung heroes, the venerable eggplant, is gleaning a lot of attention for the 2016 season, with the introduction by W. Atlee Burpee Company of a new variety that is an excellent substitute for meat.
According to George Ball, who heads Pennsylvania-based Burpee, the company’s new ‘Meatball’ eggplant is totally different from any other eggplant currently being sold, and the new variety is attracting hordes of home gardeners who, it appears, never before planted an eggplant.
‘Meatball’s meaty texture, overall mouthfeel and flavor make it an eggplant like no other, explains Burpee’s chairman and chief executive. What makes ‘Meatball’ a game-changer, he notes, is the sweet, succulent, buttery taste, and dense, meaty consistency.
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The ultimate meatless veggieburger made with Burpee's new "Meatball" eggplant topped off with all the fixings. Click here for the recipe. Meatball Burger Recipe, along with other gourmet recipes using "Meatball" as a more healthful alternative for meat. |
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‘Meatball’ overcomes three eggplant gripes, Mr. Ball points out: seeds with a bitter aftertaste, surplus water, and fast-oxidizing flesh that quickly turns brown. Home gardeners have always been aware of the superior taste and freshness of home grown vegetables, but with products like the ‘Meatball’ eggplant it appears the activity is now attracting huge numbers of first-timers seeking a viable alternative to a constant diet of meat. This is creating a bit of a problem. Mr. Ball says, as Burpee’s help-lines are inundated with phone calls asking for directions for planting eggplants. “Both from seasoned home gardeners who never before grew eggplants, and those being attracted by products such as ‘Meatball’, we have received hundreds of inquiries regarding the proper way to grow an eggplant.” According to Mr. Ball, Burpee will send ‘Meatball’ eggplant plants directly to home gardeners just before it’s time to plant them depending on where someone lives. “They are very hardy plants and are among the easiest to grow.” Burpee’s website, www.burpee.com, provides step-by-step instructions on planting eggplants, both from seeds as well as plants. There are also easy to follow recipes for using ‘Meatball’ eggplant as a substitute for meat. For first-timers Mr. Ball recommends ordering ‘Meatball’ plants rather than seeds. Planting instructions follow: |
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Burpee's new "Meatball" eggplant is specially bred to serve as a healthful alternative for meat and is available for the 2016 home gardening season. |
