How to Explain "Okra"

Tonight we had a games evening at my flat. For many, it was the first experience of American (read kool-aid) lemonade. Lemonade here is a fizzy soft-drink similar (sort of) to Sprite or 7-Up.

I was a bit worried at first, since we were hosting a games evening and we don't own any games, but it turned out great. Someone brought along several games and we ended up playing a new game Quiddlers, which is a card game distantly related to Scrabble. Somehow, our games always end up being word games - which can be quite the challenge in a mixed British - American group. It was great fun though!

The highlight of the evening was actually in the pre-game chatting when the topic of okra came up. I know, "How does the conversation steer to okra?" To be perfectly honest, I can't exactly remember, but it made for a hysterical conversation. Okra is not exactly well known outside of the South. In fact, my college roommate used to love to find new Northern transplants and take them to the cafeteria on fried okra day just to introduce them to this Southern delicacy.

So, here is the gist of our conversation:

Brit: What is okra?
American: It's a vegetable. We eat it pickled, fried, stewed, and boiled. It's green and about this long (picture spanning fingers here).
Brit: It's like a courgette with bumps, right?
American: No, not at all. It isn't in the squash family.
Brit: Oh, so it's like a cucumber, right?
American: No, it's just okra.

Pause here for the British-American dictionary to be consulted.

American: Oh, it says it's a ladies finger.
Brit: Oh, so it's asparagus!
American: No, it's definitely not like asparagus.
Brit: But that's what I would call a ladies finger.

Pause here to consult the internet for a picture.

American: Here's a picture.
Brit: Oh, I see. It's not like asparagus. It's tapered at one end.
(Unsolicited side note: what American would ever use "tapered" in a regular conversation? I LOVE how the Brits are so precise in their words)
American: Exactly.
Brit: So, what does it taste like.

And so it went. It got especially interesting while trying to describe how to fry it in a cornmeal batter in a country where cornmeal doesn't exist.

Turns out though, I might actually be able to buy some in a market not too far from here. The okra conversation was definitely educational - for all parties involved.