Southern comfort

Talk o' Texas okra pickles

by Julia Hanna

noshing & sipping

Bertucci's unlimited salad, August 31 Yerba maté, August 24 Doubting Thomas's, August 17 Red menace, August 10

Most people prefer okra hidden in a big ol' batch of gumbo, where its baby-fuzz skin, gooey insides, and alien pod shape are well-concealed. But Talk o' Texas okra pickles might just redeem this maligned member of the mallow family. Their crunchy bite and salty-dill tingle make them the perfect finger food for a night of beer and BBQ. And don't worry: the pickling process removes every last trace of slime. Two varieties -- mild and yee-haw hot -- cost $2.79 per jar at Arax Market, 585 Mt. Auburn Street, Watertown; call (617) 924-3399.

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