olives-n-okra : Stories about Food and Family

May172013

Fresh Cucumber and Tomato Salad

Here’s a quick summer side dish using fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, and oregano. We usually don’t peel our cucumbers, because we like the color and that extra crunch. The fresh oregano ...

May112013

Minnie’s Banana Pudding

My grandmother made banana pudding every Sunday when my mom was growing up. Vanilla wafers came in plastic bags back then, and my grandfather would pick up a bunch of ...

May092013

Creamed Beef

Here’s another recipe we picked up when my dad was in the Army. Creamed Beef (good old SOS) was introduced post World War I, but it has roots in the Army’s ...

May042013

It’s about time the Vietnamese cuisine of downtown Orlando came to the east side of town. Saigon Flavors is owned by Charlie Tang, previous owner of Viet Garden in downtown Orlando. Saigon Flavors is ...

Apr252013

Rhode Island Pizza Strips

When my grandmother made pizza, she made enough for at least 20 people. Her pizza was extra thick, and she covered it with a layer of tomatoes that she crushed over ...

Apr212013

Egg People

Every Easter, my grandmother made Italian Easter bread minus the colored eggs (she used white eggs). She didn’t like the bleeding of the colored eggs on the bread. She always ...

Apr152013

Poinsettia

Most people have those Spring or Summer-like drinks about this time of year, but on Easter Sunday, we made Poinsettias. Yes, the drink suggests all things Christmas, but only until you ...

Apr122013

Lily’s Rice Pie

My grandmother, Letizia, or Lily, made several rice pies every Easter—two or three with citron and at least one without (some of my dad’s brothers and sisters didn’t like citron so they picked ...

Apr062013

Pastiera Napoletana

Pastiera Napolentana is a traditional Easter pie that originated in Naples. The filling is made with ricotta, orange flower water, candied citron, and softened hulled wheat berries—the pie’s trademark ingredient. The ...

Apr032013