The Moveable Feast Food Blog

The Moveable Feast is a Personal Chef Service that serves the Hampton Roads area of Southern Virginia. This blog is an extension of my web site www.themoveablefeastpcs.com and will go into more details about food and any food service industries. Any pictures and or recipes that are published here are all the property of The Moveable Feast unless otherwise noted.

Thursday, July 06, 2006

Memories gone awry...
I think that just about everything I feel about food was established by both my grandmother and mother. My grandmother was a plain little old lady with very basic tastes. I don't remember many "instant" foods in her house when I was a child visiting with her during the summers and holidays. One of my most favorite foods that I hardly ever eat because of how it is prepared, is fried okra. Now stop groaning and saying things like "that's gross" or "eek, it's slimmy". I hate grits but I love okra. Go figure.

I haven't talked a lot about our little suburban garden but we actually got to pick some okra last night. I had big plans for the 8 little pods we picked. I was going to cut them up...
and make it the same way I vaguely remember it being done when I was 5. Yes, that was a very long time ago. Memories, fade or just flat out go away.

So I remember that the okra was always rolled in corn meal and then fried in grease in a black cast iron skillet on a very old gas stove.
I had the corn meal and I did toss the okra in it. I don't have a cast iron skillet but hey, it's only a skillet right? So I whipped out the Revereware skillet and poured some Canola oil. I have an electric stove but it does get pretty hot when I crank it up. I was not going to be bogged down in little details from my 5 year old memory. I trudged on. Then I fried the okra.

I took a piece and ate it. No, it wasn't quite right. Something was missing. Not enough corn meal was sticking to the okra. Okay, what can I do to make it more sticky (like the stuff isn't slimmy enough?) I cracked an egg and dipped out the frying pieces. What was I thinking? I was going to make this work if it killed me. After the half greasy and very hot okra was covered in egg, I put the stuff back into the skillet to fry some more.

I made a HUGE error in cooking judgement. Once the okra was fried to a nice brown, I fished it out of the oil and let it drain on a few layers of paper towels. I got my trusty fork and took a bite again. GAG. It was tough and had no taste of okra. What a huge disappointment! I will not be beaten by okra. So now I have to go and buy a cast iron skillet, season it and try all over again.


I would post the final picture of the fried okra but for some reason I can not seem to post any pictures since I first started this blog entry. Typepad is looking better and better everyday!

Stay tuned for more...

3 Comments:

At 9:48 AM, Blogger Dawn said...

Hi Vickie! How are you!? I am catching up with everyone as I've settled into my new home at coloradofoodie.blogspot.com.

I read your dilemma about the okra and have pulled out my newest cookbook, How to Cook Everything, by Mark Bittman. In his recipe, he flours the okra, then dips them in egg, then tosses them in cornmeal. Or, he says, do it the way you did, and just toss in cornmeal. Maybe you can try his variation?

 
At 2:52 PM, Blogger vlb5757 said...

Listen, anything can be better than what I did. You should never re-fry food. I knew better but I was desperate!

I am so glad that you are doing well and are in a place where even though you are from CA, you are welcomed. It's hard going from a large city to something smaller. I have done it many times and it's not always what it's cracked up to be, but sounds like you are moving right along! Give 'em hell girl!

 
At 4:19 PM, Blogger Michelle said...

Oh, that stinks! I LOVE fried okra (maybe the Texas roots?)...my Texas relatives made such delicious fried okra! I've never tried to cook it, but I'm positive you will prevail!! And when you do...

 

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