The dark purple, almost cylindrical "Moorish" variety of eggplant which is grown in Spain is an extremely popular vegetable. According to the Balearic peasants, "the island soil makes them sweet," while the fishermen claim that "the sea air removes the bitterness," and there is no doubt that Moorish eggplants do have a wonderfully sweet taste. The locals explain that "you have to make them weep away their bitterness by cutting them in half and covering them with salt, then soothing their sorrow with cool water."
