The Eggplant´s culinary journey woven into Jewish history

A cornerstone of Sephardic cuisine, eggplant was subjected to prejudice and racist rhetoric in Europe for centuries. Yet, it went on to become one of the most symbolic foods of the Jewish diaspora’s resilience and rich culinary heritage.

The first eggplants in Europe were white, small and oval in shape; they took their name in the 17th century from this appearance: “eggplant,” or “egg plant.” Before it became known as “aubergine” in England, it was referred to as thekitch “Jewish apple,” due to its widespread use among Sephardic Jews.

Prejudice in Italy and the Racist Slur “Eggplant-Eyed”

Because of its unusual color and shape, the eggplant was considered disgusting and even poisonous in Europe. This perception began to change with the arrival of Jewish communities. As the eggplant became associated with Jews, it was rejected by non-Jewish communities. Documents dating back to the 1500s contain derogatory references to the eggplant as a “Jewish food.” In the 1600s, two prominent Italian chefs wrote that eggplant was “Food for the lower classes or Jews.” The Italian public, which harbored little sympathy toward Jews, was reluctant to consume the vegetable, and the expression “eggplant-eyed” was even coined as a widespread insult directed at Jews in Italy.

Eggplant holds great cultural significance for Sephardic Jewish communities. There is a Ladino folk song titled “Si Savesh La Buena Djente” that portrays a playful quarrel between two popular vegetables in Sephardic cuisine: tomatoes and eggplant.

*Prepared with excerpts from Selin Kandiyoti’s article “Patlıcanın Yahudi tarihiyle örülü lezzet yolculuğu”, published at salom.com.tr

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