“Eggplants”
The name of eggplant was
given it by Europeans in the middle of the eighteenth century because
the variety they knew had fruits that were the shape and size of
goose eggs. That variety also had fruits that are a whitish or
yellowish colour rather than the wine purple that is more familiar to
us nowadays.
Were they also consumed like eggs?
Were they also consumed like eggs?

Solanum melogena, Afbeeldingen der artseny-gewassen met derzelver Nederduitsche en Latynsche beschryvingen, 1796, Kurt Stubers Online Library