Hansel

Hansel is an early-maturing, highly productive eggplant that bears its fruit in dense clusters rather than singly. The oblong fruit—technically a berry—has glossy black-purple, semi-spineless skin over white flesh, and is typically harvested while still immature. Its tender flesh is non-bitter and holds very few seeds, so it needs little special preparation before cooking. The plants themselves stay compact, reaching only about 3 feet tall, so they suit a garden bed just as well as a large pot up to 36 inches tall, with or without staking.

Because the fruit is non-bitter, Hansel slices thinly for pizza toppings, casseroles, grilling, or stuffing without special preparation. Cooks turn to it for gourmet dishes, and its sweet, tender flesh holds up well in stews, frying, stuffing, or on the grill.

Hansel matures early and yields heavily, producing shiny dark purple fruit that can reach 3 to 10 inches long, though many gardeners pick it smaller, at 2 to 4 inches, for the best eating quality. This early maturity combines with a long harvest window to keep the plants productive throughout summer. It also performs extremely well in containers, matching its compact growth habit to that use.

Hansel originated in the United States and was named a 2008 All-America Selections winner.