When perfectly ripened, the eggplant has a meaty flesh and a slightly bitter aftertaste. The Red Eggplant of Rotonda is more piquant than other varieties, while its fruity notes recall those of the prickly pear. In its production area, it is generally preserved in oil or scapece, that is to say, fried and marinated in oil and vinegar with oregano and mint. The elderly women of this part of Italy continue to preserve the fruits in bunches, hung up to dry.