No offense intended to y'all in the south but the slime you get when
you boil a bunch of okra is just totally revolting to anybody who
didn't grow up eating gumbos.

I lived in Lafayette, Louisiana for eight years. Married a Cajun girl with
about half of her relatives who spoke Cajun French ONLY. Got to eat every
food known to Cajuns, and made by ladies who had cooked this stuff for
decades. None of them ever used okra in a gumbo, unless a guest liked it,
and then they would make a separate batch with okra. No one liked it. I
only like it battered and deep fried or pickled. Other than that, it's
plain slimy. And a PITA to pick with those little stingers. Man, I miss
the fishing and foods of Acadiana.

Steve