Okra

Season: June - October

About Okra

• Okra likely originated in present-day Ethiopia.
• Okra arrived in the Americas via the transatlantic slave trade.
• During the Civil War, Southerners took up the practice of grinding okra seeds to make a coffee substitute, which was first introduced by ensalved peoples.
• The word "gumbo" is derived from "ki ngmobo," or the word for "okra" in the Central Bantu West African dialect.
• The word "okra" comes from the Nigerian Igbo language where the plant is called "okwuru." Some English-speaking countries also refer to the vegetable as "lady fingers."

Taste for Yourself

• Red Stick Farmers Market

Celebrate

• Louisiana Okra, Music, and Arts Festival

Recipes

Sources:

• 64 Parishes