Okra!!!

Few things are as satisfying to a man as proving his personal prowess and virility. I got okra to grow over 5000 feet above sea level! As of last night we ate our second mess of spiny little pods of southern goodness. I admit it, if I was living in a state with heat and humidity, I’d take one look at these okra plants and proclaim them to be the saddest little guys ever grown. But I’m not living in the south I’m living in the mountain west and some accomplishments are worth crowing about.

Every year we look forward to the fresh vegetables in the garden. Some foods we only eat a few times a year when they come in fresh. It’s mid August and by now most gardeners are getting sick of weeding (I’ve given up on that) and some veggies have lost their appeal till next year. If you live in the deep south you’re nearly done with the whole affair, except for a few late crops.

One veggie I eat only a few times a year is eggplant. I love eggplant. Not that hot house crap you get in a store. God’s own purple goodness is best enjoyed fresh out of the garden. Here’s how you fix it proper.

1. Pick it the day you’re going to eat it, preferably about 10 min before you need to cook it. You want the medium sized ones, large egg plant taste bitter. If it has lots of brown seeds in it, its no good throw it out.
2. Saltine crackers. Grind these into the finest powder you can.
3. Eggs. Brown farm fresh and at room temp. Beaten, not stired.
   
4. Electric fry pan, 400° to 425°.
5. Bacon grease works best to fry in, and it keeps Muslims from eating your eggplant, canola oil works good too.
6. Peal the purple skin off, it tastes nasty, 99% of people who don’t like eggplant had it cooked with the skin on.
7. Slice it, dip it in egg, then in the cracker crumbs and fry it till golden brown.
8. Salt and pepper to taste. I like lots of pepper.
9. When I’m cooking I usually eat half an eggplant right out of the pan before it gets to the table. I recommend this practice, call it quality control.