The Taste of Ochre

We strolled into a restaurant

My charming companion and I

To see what was on the menu

Perhaps steak or a fish fry?

We asked about “The Specials”

That were on the menu that day

There was one dish we never heard before

Much to our dismay

One of that evenings specials

Was a dish we’ve never tried

The special was called Ochre

Baked, sautéed, broiled, or fried

“What does Ochre taste like?”

I inquired of the maître d’

He said, “I’m not quite sure myself

But I will ask the chef and see.”

Returning from the kitchen

The maître d’ politely said

“Ochre has the subtle flavors

Of orange, yellow, and a hint of rust red”

“I’m not asking about the colors!

But want to know its history, texture, and taste

If I don’t find it appetizing

My money I won’t waste!”

Its a distant cousin to Okra

Which has a similar name

It was only recently cultivated

Which explains it lack of fame

He explained the texture and consistency varies

Sometimes it’s fatty if you render

But the flesh of ochre can be meaty

Then it’s best served soft and tender

The seeds are difficult to digest

They must be removed with great skill

If not deseeded properly

Your ochre can taste like swill

With a bit of apprehension

We ordered the unusual dish

Prepared the way the chef suggested

Instead of the other special broiled fish

Soon we were presented

With our two plates piping hot

Ochre served with a side of salad

Prepared for this we were not

The flesh of the ochre was tender

Words can’t describe the taste

The soft flesh you could cut with a fork

Not a morsel went to waste

Our ochre was not fatty at all

The texture more like veal

While the meaty ochre was extraordinary

The fatty ochre was...

... a Mediocre meal.

(c) BAM

...Did you see that coming?? 😁