[Doctor Stochastic]

When you make eggplant, you should slice the eggplant into disks then salt both sides. The salt draws out the bitter taste. Wash off the salt after about half an hour or so then fry in good olive oil. This part of preparation seems to be skipped even on the Food Network. Failure produces very bitter eggplant.

Try fried eggplant and cream cheese sandwitches (I found these in Italy.)

[RightWhale]

Thanks! Up to now the best use I knew for eggplant was cocktail coasters.