Aubergine

As a little girl, I remember loving eggplant parmigiana. Who knew this crunchy, creamy, savory, satisfying dish was created with such a beautiful vegetable? Now, eggplant in garlic sauce is more my style, with its brilliant ability to capture both the flavor and texture of this sumptuous food.

Imagine my delight when a restaurateur contacted me with a request to commission a Mediterranean eggplant for his establishment! It is always a wonderful challenge to take a form from vegetable to sculpture. I have to see the subject in an entirely new light, asking “Where does the personality appear?” Within the answer lies inspiration.

Aubergine is quite feminine. Its rounded womanly form and fluid stem accent the rich colors. Voluptuous is a good description. Teamed up with the Green Pepper and the Tomato Partners, one may dream of ratatouille, of Baroque paintings, of childhood.