It is raining as I write, a lovely soft steady rain that will sink in slowly and do the gardens some good. It has been very dry in northern Virginia. When I went to the garden today, the peppers were a bit wilted and the okra had powdery mildew. I never see that unless it’s dry. While concentrated watering can get rid of it, I haven’t had the wherewithal to get to the garden after work much.
This leaf is showing powdery mildew. You’ll also see it on squash leaves.
In spite of the dryness, the okra are still blossoming and bearing. They really are very pretty plants, and by mixing the scarlet and green varieties, I think I got a little extra beauty.
Those pods? They’re in the roasting pan…
My eggplants are suddenly prolific, with five fruits on the large striped variety and two more coming along on the black beauty. I am roasting some eggplant and okra for tonight’s vegetable and will have to peruse my cookbooks for more eggplant recipes.
Often, eggplant will bear until frost.
I’ve also had a really nice crop of bell peppers. Usually I just chop a few and freeze them, using the rest in general cooking as they come on. This year I had a bumper crop, so I stuffed and baked eight of them this afternoon. I saved out two to eat this week and froze the rest.
I’ve been letting the peppers get ripe, but of course, they’re good green as well.
My freezer is now at capacity, though I could still fit a few more Mason jars into my pantry if I get enough tomatoes for sauce!
This tomato was among the half dozen I brought home today.
arlingwords 
You know, I can’t say that I’ve seen an okra blossom before. They’re beautiful. Our CSA delivered us a huge portion this week so I’m desperate for ways to cook it that my family will eat.
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Tammy, there are 3 waysI cook it, excluding using it in soups as a thickener and pickling. 1. slice, toss in a mixture of flour, cornmeal, salt and pepper and saute; 2. carmelize onions in a fry pan, add chopped tomatoes and sliced okra and cook until the tomatoes and onions take on a silky texture; you may need to add a little water or wine as it cooks. 3. roast them whole with onions and herbs of your choice after tossing in olive oil. If you have eggplants, little wedges of them work really well with the okra. Good luck!!
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