I did spot spiders underside leaf. But what was surprising is the new leaves that are just about sprouting also appear sick. I will take cleaner shots today evening and post here. I am thinking about round 2 of organicide per manufacturer recomendation, not sure if it will work though

I just replicated a roasted vegetable melange per instructions of a Greek neighbor of mine who brought some of the stuff to me several months ago. It's awesome. Her words: "Don't skimp on the garlic or olive oil" So I didn't LOL Large shallow roasting pan. Preheat oven to 425F Cut into equal sized pieces: Eggplant - 2 (she said to buy the striped ones but I've never seen them so to avoid the issue with bitterness I used 2 Japanese eggplant). Zuchinni - 2 medium-large Red/yellow/orange bell peppers - 1 each Sweet onions - 2 Generously salt and pepper the veggies - toss in roasting pan with several generous swigs of EVOO and about 1/2 head of minced fresh garlic - a few long sprigs of fresh thyme and a few long sprigs of fresh oregano (I had these in my garden but I think dried herbs would do fine). Roast at 425 for about 1/2 hour, stir and roast 1/2 hour again or more... Then add canned tomatoes (she said she used a large can and crushed the whole tomatoes with her hands) but I had a box of POMI chopped tomatoes - so that's what I used. Keep roasting - stir occasionally but cook at least 1/2 hour or longer until the juices are thick. Makes a great sauce for short rigatoni. When I ate it the first time, I asked her if she added sugar or maybe sundried tomaoes but she said "no". Since I tried it myself, I realize the sweetness comes from the addition of the canned crushed whole tomatoes. I might add capers the next time...Now I have to persuade her to tell me how to make the feta mac & cheese (my words) that she brought with the roasted veg. So rare that anyone cooks for me. It's such a treat. seagrass

Here are some recipes from our family cookbook. You have my sympathy. I always get over zealous in planting eggplant. Then... They all seem to come at once and keep producing. I love eggplant, but after a while, I can't bear to look at them. Unfortunately, eggplant dishes don't seem to freeze very well. I know the challenge you're facing. You've got to use them up while they're still fresh. Good luck! Melintzanosalata (Roasted Eggplant Salad) Deliciously different! A perfect appetizer spread with crackers. 1 large eggplant 1 medium onion, finely chopped 2 garlic cloves, finely minced or crushed ¼ cup chopped parsley ¼ cup olive oil ¼ cup wine vinegar or lemon juice (juice of 1 lemon) Salt and pepper to taste Place whole, washed eggplant in greased baking pan. Bake at 350° oven 60 minutes, until soft. Allow skin to turn black so as to give a smoky flavor to the salad. Allow eggplant to cool off a bit so you can handle it. Slice the eggplant down the middle and scoop out the pulp. Put the eggplant pulp on a cutting board and chop it up finely. Lightly sauté chopped onion and garlic in olive oil. In a bowl, combine the chopped eggplant, onion and garlic mixture with all the olive oil, and vinegar or lemon juice. Salt and pepper to taste. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Adjust seasonings if necessary. Serve with pita bread, flat bread, or whole wheat/sesame crackers (like Ak Mak). Briami (Baked Summer Vegetables) A variety of summer vegetables, baked in olive oil. A simple, tasty, and nutritious casserole. Use as a main dish or a delicious vegetable side dish. 1 pound summer squash (zucchini, crookneck, etc.) 1 pound eggplant 1 pound potatoes 2 onions 1 - 1½ pounds tomatoes (fresh or canned) ½ - 1 cup olive oil Salt and pepper to taste 1 cup chopped parsley ½ cup water, hot 2 green peppers (optional) 2 cloves garlic, minced (optional) 1 cup buttered breadcrumbs (optional) ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese (optional) Scrub squash and cut off ends; cut in ¼ inch slices or in 1 inch chunks. Scrub eggplant and cut off ends; cut into ¼ inch slices. (Eggplant may be salted and set aside on paper towels to release moisture for at least 30 minutes. Rinse well before adding to casserole.) Wash and peel potatoes; cut in ¼ inch slices. Peel onions; cut in ¼ inch slices. Wash, peel and cut tomatoes into slices (roughly slice or chop canned whole tomatoes). If using peppers, wash, remove seeds and cut into strips. Beginning with sliced potatoes, layer all vegetables in a large casserole. Salt and pepper each layer of vegetables lightly (If eggplant slices have been pre-salted, do not salt eggplant layer.) Add olive oil and hot water. Cover and bake at 350° for 60 minutes. (If desired, sprinkle with buttered breadcrumbs and grated Parmesan cheese.) Uncover and bake for an additional 20 minutes. Let stand uncovered 10-15 minutes before serving. For a complete vegetarian meal, serve with hearty bread slices and a fresh salad. May be served hot, warm, room temperature, or even cold. Moussaka (Greek Eggplant Casserole) A classic Greek dish, famous throughout the world, and a favorite at Greek restaurants and festivals. Delicious eggplant layered with a spicy tomato sauce and topped off with a Parmesan flavored egg custard. A feast for the eyes and the palate! Meat Sauce: 1 pound lean ground beef or lamb 2 large onions, finely chopped 2 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 - 6 ounce can.tomato paste ¾-1 cup water or broth (may substitute up to ½ cup wine for water or broth) 1/8-teaspoon allspice ¼ teaspoon nutmeg ½ teaspoon cinnamon 1 teaspoon Greek oregano Salt & pepper to taste Eggplant: 3 large eggplants Vegetable oil Flour (optional) Egg (optional) Cream Sauce: ½ cup flour ½ cup butter 2 cups warmed milk 4 eggs, beaten ¼ cup Parmesan cheese Dash nutmeg Salt to taste Meat Sauce Preparation: Sauté onion and garlic in olive oil until translucent; do not brown. In separate pan, brown ground beef or lamb; drain well. Add browned ground meat, tomato paste, water, broth, or wine, nutmeg, allspice cinnamon, and oregano to onion mixture. Simmer about 20 minutes over medium heat; sauce will not be juicy. Season to taste with salt and pepper (do not over salt). Cream Sauce Preparation: Melt butter and stir in flour. Cook over medium/low heat, stirring until mixture is well blended and bubbling. Off heat, add warmed milk slowly and stir continuously until sauce is well blended and thickened. Sauce will be quite thick. Season lightly with salt. Allow sauce to cool. Add beaten eggs to sauce; stir until all sauce is blended with eggs. Stir in ¼ cup Parmesan cheese and dash nutmeg. Eggplant Preparation: If desired, peel eggplant. Slice into 1/3-½ inch rounds. Sprinkle both sides of slices heavily with salt. Set aside on paper towels to release moisture for at least 30 minutes. Rinse eggplant slices and blot completely dry. Choose a browning method for eggplant: 1.Baked Brush eggplant slices with oil and bake in 425° oven, turning once, until both sides are golden brown (about 10 minutes per side); do not overcook. 2.Broiled Brush eggplant slices with oil and broil, turning once, until both sides are golden brown (about 5-7 minutes per side); do not overcook. 3.Fried Coat the eggplant pieces generously with flour (if desired, dip slices in egg wash and flour a second time); heat oil in a skillet and fry eggplant, turning once, until golden brown; do not overcook; drain well on paper towels. Moussaka Assembly: Brush bottom and sides of deep 13" x 9" baking dish with olive oil. Place ½ of eggplant slices onto bottom of pan; cut slices to fit so that the entire surface is completely covered with eggplant. Spoon meat mixture over eggplant. Top with remaining eggplant slices; cut slices to fit so that the entire surface is completely covered with eggplant. Pour cream sauce over all; spread evenly to completely cover all the eggplant. Bake at 350° for 60 minutes (the top should be set, slightly puffy, and nicely browned). Let rest for 15 minutes before cutting into serving pieces. Variations: Potato: Potatoes may be substituted for part or for all of the eggplant. Cut potatoes lengthwise into 1/3-½ inch thick slices and fry before assembling the casserole. Place potato layer on bottom of casserole. Summer Squash: Summer squash (zucchini, crookneck, pattypan, etc.) may be substituted for part or for all of the eggplant. Cut squash lengthwise into 1/3-½ inch thick slices and either fry, broil or bake before assembling the casserole. Do not overcook squash, and do not use overgrown squash with large seeds.

Not having an eggplant-specific forum is a bit of a frustration, but the search function works fine for what I need. I'm growing Black Beauty (my "go-to" for Italian parm dishes) and Ichiban this year. I've also grown Rosa Bianca and Casper in the past. Even people who say they don't eat eggplant will eat the white ones; I don't know why. Maybe they are naturally less bitter (the eggplants, not the people)? The world of eggplant cuisine is vast -- there are Indian/Pakistani curries -- some hot/spicy, some smooth/creamy and they could be served either hot or cold, temperature-wise. Similarly there is a plethora of Middle Eastern and North African (and even sub-Saharan African!) dishes to explore. BabaGhanoush (sp?) is easy and can be used as a veggie dip, a salad dressing or a bread spread instead of mayo. Healthy, too. Flea beetles are a fact of life for me here in mid-Hudson Valley of New York State (Putnam County) but have not damaged crop output. Colorado potato bugs were new to me this year, but simple picking and squishing solved that problem.