What's to Hate? A Look at the Whole Okra
Chris Smith remembers his first okra encounter well. It was at a diner in Georgia.
A native of the UK, where growing conditions are not conducive to heat-loving okra, the vegetable was foreign to him. So was the cuisine of the American south.
His recollection of that first taste of okra? Slime and grease.
While not enamoured by his first okra experience, a later gift of a dry okra seed pod—a pod with a story—ignited his interest in okra.
He began to grow it and to experiment with it in his own kitchen, using pods, leaves, flowers, stalks—even the seeds.
As that interest and his knowledge of okra grew, Smith started to teach others about it. In his quest for even more okra information, he’s spoken with food historians, researchers, farmers, and chefs.
He brings it all together in his book, The Whole Okra, A Seed to Stem Celebration.
Chris Smith remembers his first okra encounter well. It was at a diner in Georgia.
A native of the UK, where growing conditions are not conducive to heat-loving okra, the vegetable was foreign to him. So was the cuisine of the American south.
His recollection of that first taste of okra? Slime and grease.
While not enamoured by his first okra experience, a later gift of a dry okra seed pod—a pod with a story—ignited his interest in okra.
He began to grow it and to experiment with it in his own kitchen, using pods, leaves, flowers, stalks—even the seeds.
As that interest and his knowledge of okra grew, Smith started to teach others about it. In his quest for even more okra information, he’s spoken with food historians, researchers, farmers, and chefs.
He brings it all together in his book, The Whole Okra, A Seed to Stem Celebration.
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There’s a whole world inside figs. I explore it in my Fig Culture podcast—varieties, recipes, collectors, and the stories behind them.
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There’s a whole world inside figs. I explore it in my Fig Culture podcast—varieties, recipes, collectors, and the stories behind them.
Join 6,000+ gardeners in The Food Garden Gang and get practical weekly tips to grow more food at home—free. It’s the best way to get started. [Join the newsletter]
