A rant about eggplant and squash

Many Americans dislike squash -- and with good reason. They have only tasted the mushy, thick pieces served in a casserole called "Aunt JoJo's Squash Supreme" or "Boiled Squash Delight." It is unfortunate they have never savored the delight that is my mother's fried squash. All one needs is peeled, thinly sliced pieces of squash. Drain them on a paper towel, coat 'em properly and fry, people. Nothing to it. I'm probably missing a step or two there, but you get my point.

Ditto for the monstrosity that is being passed off as eggplant Parmesan. There's no insult to the eyes and the palate like a big plate of spaghetti topped with a limp, mushy patty of eggplant. Great eggplant Parmesan should be able to stand out on it's own without heaps of pasta. Really, all you need to do is follow the same steps used for fried squash, then bake it with the other ingredients. And for Pete's sake, don't serve unpeeled eggplant or squash. It's like biting into fragments of plastic grocery sacks. *steps off soapbox*