Trader Joe's Eggplant Parm

So, last night for dinner we decided to try one of those Trader Joe's baked eggplant parm dishes. I served it with a side of sauteed escarole (lemon juice, red wine vinegar, garlic, salt and pepper.) The eggplant. Much to my surprise, Steve thought it was good. I say this because when I first met him he made it very clear that he does not eat eggplant. Like maybe it wasn't manly enough. Come to think of it, I've never seen him eat quiche either.

So, the first time he had it was at one of my regular restaurants, Pizza & Brew. It was good food, good service and reasonably priced. (It's a chain restaurant.) There are always people there, but you can always get a seat. So I ordered the eggplant rollatine there. And I made him try some. He was was all, oh my god. And then the next few times we went there, that's all he'd order and he'd love it.

Eggplant story number two. I thought we'd conquered his fear of eggplant. Not so. I had to twist his arm for months and months to get him to try an eggplant parm wedge. I think it was more like years then months. Finally one day, out of nowhere, he agreed to take a bite. And from judging on the expression on his face, he was either very surprised or very pleased. Or perhaps both. He could not get enough of it. Subsequent trips to our favorite pizzeria involved eggplant parm wedges.

Now, so you figure he's had eggplant parm as a wedge that he'd have no issues with trying to eat it without the wedge part. Nope. He resisted yet again. And finally, last night he took the dive. Head first. And I was, golly gee, surprised especially because it wasn't one of the better eggplant parms I've had over the years. Trader Joe's doesn't bread and fry theirs, it's baked. Fine and dandy an' all but not quite as good as the traditional way. Wanna make your belly smile? Eat Something Good!