Like tomatoes eggplants, otherwise named aubergines, are elusively a fruit! The most popular form of eggplant is the luscious, purple-coated teardrop with a droopy bell bottom. Eggplants grow on vines and must be supported with strong poles, as each fruit's mass is tremendous compared to other fruits. The most common way to eat eggplant is to bake it cut in halves. Although it is not common in American cuisine, the eggplant is the staple of many Mediteranean and Arabic plates.