Because You Can Never Have Too Much Okra: Okra Palooza

It seems an odd bit of torture to me that anyone should celebrate okra before the peak of the season -- before the toughened pods join chiles as the only vegetable that can handle Texas summer's heat. There will be a lot of okra to come in the coming months,...

By Scott Reitz

June 25, 2013

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It seems an odd bit of torture to me that anyone should celebrate okra before the peak of the season -- before the toughened pods join chiles as the only vegetable that can handle Texas summer's heat.

There will be a lot of okra to come in the coming months, but if you can't get enough of it you can start worshiping the slimy pods this weekend when The Lot celebrates Okra Palooza 2013.

If you're looking for new ideas for preparing okra, this event sounds like a good place to find them. Graham Dodds, Chad Houser and Janice Provost will be serving their favorite okra recipes in an old-fashioned okra smackdown. And home cooks are invited to get in on the fun too, competing with recipes in their own division.

Tickets are $30 a person and kids (do kids eat okra?) younger than 12 get in for free. You'll get plenty of okra tasting, two beers, some live music and some good old-fashioned feel-goods as the proceeds from the event benefit Promise of Peace Community Garden in East Dallas. Get your tickets here.

Okra Palooza, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Sunday, June 30, 7530 East Grand Ave.

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