Homegrown Goodness

O´kra

n.	1.	(Bot.) An annual plant (Abelmoschus esculentus syn. Hibiscus esculentus), whose green pods, abounding in nutritious mucilage, are much used for soups, stews, or pickles; gumbo.
	2.	The pods of the plant okra, used as a vegetable; also, a dish prepared with them; gumbo.

[Webster Dictionary]

My grandparents are saints. Not only are they self-less, so generous, loving & just amazing, but they also raise a huge garden & hope it produces so they can share with their family & friends. My grandpa even "peddles" his harvests in town at the feed store, beauty shop, church, doctor's office & other local businesses....when it makes enough, which has not been the case this year.

My grandpa plants rows & rows of okra plants in his "big garden". FYI- it really only thrives in the HEAT of the summer and is a pain in the backside to pick because is makes you so itchy....itchy mixed in with the sweat of picking okra in the hot summer. No bueno. Point is, when it's hot outside (and if the plants are producing) and you go over to grandma's for a visit- you can pretty much plan on some good ol' fried okra, served hot & fresh out of a cast iron skillet.

 

I know you can get fried okra many places, but it is NOT real fried okra. My grandma Myrl makes the BEST fried okra in the world. Hands down. Okay, so maybe I have an emotional connection to home & childhood memories and the fact that I hold my grandma's cooking on a pedestal... but a big cast iron skillet of okra just means summer at grandma's.