Tsakoniki Melitzana Leonidiou

This eggplant is produced exclusively in Arcadia prefecture near the town of Leonidio. These purple, slightly curved aubergines with unusual white stripes are cultivated outdoors on the sandy soils of the area. They are harvested from May to November.

What sets them apart from other eggplant varieties is their white stripes and their very mild, almost sweet taste with a lack of bitterness. Tsakoniki Melitzana Leonidiou is used as a basic ingredient in many recipes, and is often prepared as 'melitzanaki', a spoon sweet.

A festival is held every year in August to promote these local eggplants, during which eggplant recipe competitions are held and more than 50 different dishes are prepared.