Nan this past Fri. one of my customers sold me a fresh batch of Okra from his garden, I fried it up and my step-daughter and her hubby loved it. They are from New York and graduates of the Culinary Art Institute of New York and yet had never had fried Okra. I am glad I fried alot because it went like hot potatoes. Now that we have them living with us and have a combined household boy are we eating some really outstanding meals!!! We have always eaten a broad range of cusines, but now that they are here it has broadened even wider, and needless to say we are all loving it!

I'm actually growing the stuff for the first time. The younger pods had black seeds and were actually more woody then the old. I found a few that sliced easily and cooked right but about half was too woody to eat. I quess I just don't know how or when to pick it. As you can see from my first post I really don't even know how to spell OKRA. I started to edit that but you guys have already seen it.

BTW I tried every store in my small town and there is no frozen okra. Canned is off of my diet because of sodium levels.

JP it may well be that the Okra is woody as a result of it being so late in the season, or it may be there are nematode in your soil or some drought condition, but at least you are getting some and that is a plus! I have grown it right up until the first frost before but have to be picky about what pods to pick as they do start turning woody at the very last of the season! I will tell you this though that Okra is the most productive stuff in the garden, I have never seen anything like it! It blooms and produces all summer as long as you keep it picked! By the way canned Okrs is just so - so it leaves alot to be desired. Another little tid-bit of OKRA TRIVIA : Okra is loaded with calcium!!! That is another reason to grow and eat it! It is very good for you:)

If you let your Okra mature to long it will get woody .

Did you know that the seeds of an okra can be toasted, ground, and served as a coffee substitute ?

I grew lots in Florida , Can`t wait to start growing it in NY , I love to watch it grow and the flowers are just so lovely .

I love green beans cooked with tomatoes and a bit of onion. Add a touch of lemon juice and the need for salt is really reduced too.