# fried poke



## lobolucini

Someone knows what kind of food is "fried poke" in southern USA?


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## grindios

Ive heard of poke being a type of leafy plant, but also a type of raw fish....


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## Vol Boy

Where I'm from (Southern U.S.), "poke" has many meanings (!), but in this context grindios is right -- a leafy plant.  The leaves are sometimes made into a salad.  People also fry the stalks and eat them, and this is "*fried poke*."

I don't really know if "poke" is the correct name of the plant; I've just always heard it called that.   

(I think the fish grindios is referring to is from Hawaii i.e., "poke" is a type of fish, or fish dish, eaten in Hawaii.)


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## lobolucini

Vol Boy said:


> Where I'm from (Southern U.S.), "poke" has many meanings (!), but in this context grindios is right -- a leafy plant.  The leaves are sometimes made into a salad.  People also fry the stalks and eat them, and this is "*fried poke*."
> 
> There is a poisonous "pokeweed" plant, but the "poke" I'm talking about here is something different.  I don't really know if "poke" is the correct name of the plant; I've just always heard it called that.
> 
> (I think the fish grindios is referring to is from Hawaii i.e., "poke" is a type of fish, or fish dish, eaten in Hawaii.)



Thanks, Vol Boy.
I don't know if there is a spanish translation for that plant... I'll try to find it...


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## Vol Boy

Actually, I have edited my post.  After looking into it, it appears that "poke" _does_ refer to "Pokeweed."  (I learned something new!)  It is also found in other countries, generally in the Southern Hemisphere.

The closest Spanish word I could find is *ombú*.  Según el DRAE: m. Árbol de América Meridional, de la familia de las Fitolacáceas, con la corteza gruesa y blanda, madera fofa, copa muy densa, hojas alternas, elípticas, acuminadas, con pecíolos largos y flores dioicas en racimos más largos que las hojas.


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## lobolucini

ombú frito, suena bien...


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## Txiri

Poke, poke salad, polk salad, poke sallet  ... a poor man's spinach.  

Immortalized in a song by Tony Joe White, "Polk salad Annie."  I'd post a link, but the rules don't allow it.    I have to keep being reminded of that, apparently ... 

http://forum.wordreference.com/showthread.php?t=2753038


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## pops91710

Well, just maybe it's colloquial for fried pork? Just a thought


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## Vol Boy

pops91710 said:


> Well, just maybe it's colloquial for fried pork? Just a thought



I don't understand.  "Poke," as the OP used it, is exactly what we've said.  And "poke" and "pork" are two different things; the two are easily distinguishable in written and spoken language.


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## k-in-sc

The OP forgot to provide context (required). 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phytolacca_americana
I have one growing at the corner of my house that I'd probably have to demolish the house to uproot. 
Mules like the berries ...


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## pops91710

Vol Boy said:


> I don't understand.  "Poke," as the OP used it, is exactly what we've said.  And "poke" and "pork" are two different things; the two are easily distinguishable in written and spoken language.


 Surely you are jesting. You've never heard pork pronounced poke? Besides-- I was joking. Written is distinguishable, however— spoken not always so. Some southern states have local accents that would sound just like that. I've talked with them.


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## Vol Boy

pops91710 said:


> Surely you are jesting. You've never heard pork pronounced poke? Besides-- I was joking. Written is distinguishable, however— spoken not always so. Some southern states have local accents that would sound just like that. I've talked with them.



 I was assuming this is not what you meant.  I assumed that because, in almost every circumstance, suggesting that "poke" is "colloquial" for pork is offensive; that's a matter of accent and not of a "colloquial phrase."

Maybe you've "talked with them," but I am ONE of "them."  I can distinguish the two easily.  If you can't, it doesn't look good to make fun of specific accents.  I'd leave it there.


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## k-in-sc

"Poke" for "pork" would be a very broad Southern accent, if not a parody. Again, we would need context, which we don't have. That said, I don't think pops was making fun of our accents.


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## Vol Boy

k-in-sc said:


> "Poke" for "pork" would be a very broad Southern accent, if not a parody. Again, we would need context, which we don't have. That said, I don't think pops was making fun of our accents.



OK, if you say not I'll give the benefit of the doubt.  I don't know Pops.  But he should be aware in the future that saying things like he said, including saying he's talked "to them," gives an impression of ridicule -- or worse.


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## pops91710

Vol Boy said:


> OK, if you say not I'll give the benefit of the doubt.  I don't know Pops.  But he should be aware in the future that saying things like he said, including saying he's talked "to them," gives an impression of ridicule -- or worse.


.  For the record, the "them" I was referring to was my beloved grandfather who was a southern boy raised in the south. The "them" I was referring to were close friends I grew to love while stationed in the Deep South, and were beside me in Vietnam. To assume any ridicule on my part is ludicrous. For the record, I love southern colloquialisms and accents. But—really, should I have had to say that? Don't assume what you don't know.


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## Txiri

Vol Boy said:


> I assumed that because, in almost every circumstance, suggesting that "poke" is "colloquial" for pork is offensive; that's a matter of accent and not of a "colloquial phrase."
> 
> Maybe you've "talked with them," but I am ONE of "them."  I can distinguish the two easily.  If you can't, it doesn't look good to make fun of specific accents.  I'd leave it there.




Really?  "In almost every circumstance"?    Come on.


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## Vol Boy

pops91710 said:


> .  For the record, the "them" I was referring to was my beloved grandfather who was a southern boy raised in the south. The "them" I was referring to were close friends I grew to love while stationed in the Deep South, and were beside me in Vietnam. To assume any ridicule on my part is ludicrous. For the record, I love southern colloquialisms and accents. But—really, should I have had to say that? Don't assume what you don't know.



The only assuming I did was to give you the benefit of the doubt.  You told me the rest.  (See above.)

Trixi: Yes, in almost every circumstance - absolutely.  (I didn't say every; I said "almost every.") 

Imagine: Pops goes into a restaurant in the Deep South, feigns a Southern accent, and orders "fried poke" (meaning pork) -- I'd say in almost every circumstance people would find that offensive.  If you dont, and if he doesn't, that's fine.  You don't have to agree.


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## Txiri

I don't agree.  I think you're being a drama queen about it.


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## Vol Boy

Txiri said:


> I don't agree.  I think you're being a drama queen about it.



OK.  I said you didn't have to agree.


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## k-in-sc

Pops said he had Southern relatives. I agree that Southern accents are hard to fake. Hard to imagine somebody faking one while in the South.


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## duvija

It seems the New Year brought on bad vibes.
And NO, I'm sure Pop didn't mean anything bad. We've known him for a while. You will too, if you stay in this forum.

Southern accent - a tough one. Not even very good actors can get away with it, no matter how much they study it...


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## pops91710

Here is a recipe for fried poke. 
CAUTION: The recipe title with _*"down home"*_ may be "offensive" to some! (And I did not write it!)  Seems the leaves are not the edible part.

DOWN HOME FRIED POKE ◄ click on this link. "Go out in a field in spring and find some poke, tender now. Pick leaves off, take stalks home and wash real well. Now cut in about 3 inch pieces, slice in middle lengthwise. Put in salt water and soak for how long it takes to get ready to fix supper. When ready, roll in cornmeal. Put in skillet in lard. Fry until tender and brown. Leaves are used for poke salad."


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## pops91710

duvija said:


> It seems the New Year brought on bad vibes.
> And NO, I'm sure Pop didn't mean anything bad. We've known him for a while. You will too, if you stay in this forum.
> 
> Southern accent - a tough one. Not even very good actors can get away with it, no matter how much they study it...



I am happy you remember me! I've been gone for a long time.


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## Cal inhibes

Vol Boy said:


> Actually, I have edited my post. After looking into it, it appears that "poke" _does_ refer to "Pokeweed." (I learned something new!) It is also found in other countries, generally in the Southern Hemisphere.
> 
> The closest Spanish word I could find is *ombú*. Según el DRAE: m. Árbol de América Meridional, de la familia de las Fitolacáceas, con la corteza gruesa y blanda, madera fofa, copa muy densa, hojas alternas, elípticas, acuminadas, con pecíolos largos y flores dioicas en racimos más largos que las hojas.



No creo que fried poke se refiera al *Ombú *(Phytolacca dioica), que es un gran árbol de sombra para ganados en las pampas argentinas, sino a una hierba más modesta (Phytolacca americana) que se conoce como *hierba carmín *en varios países de habla española, debido al color rojo de sus frutos. Ambas pertenecen a la misma familia de las Fitolacáceas, pero, que yo sepa, el ombú no se usa como alimento, sino talvez como medicina.  
Salud


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## Vol Boy

Cal inhibes said:


> No creo que fried poke se refiera al *Ombú *(Phytolacca dioica), que es un gran árbol de sombra para ganados en las pampas argentinas, sino a una hierba más modesta (Phytolacca americana) que se conoce como *hierba carmín *en varios países de habla española, debido al color rojo de sus frutos. Ambas pertenecen a la misma familia de las Fitolacáceas, pero, que yo sepa, el ombú no se usa como alimento, sino talvez como medicina.
> Salud



Same genus as pokeweed. Did you have an alternate translation? 

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phytolacca_dioica


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## Txiri

It really does grow all over the South.   
https://www.google.com/search?q=pok...www.georgiabamboo.com%2Fpokepage.html;279;288

I can't imagine planting it in your garden, it's highly adaptive and probably is already there anyway.  Most recognizable by the purple berries.  

Harlan, KY  https://www.google.com/search?q=pok...2011%2F05%2Fpoke-sallet-t-design.html;600;600

Allens cans an organic product:  https://www.google.com/search?q=pok...Fwaynesword.palomar.edu%2Fecoph24.htm;226;336


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## lobolucini

k-in-sc said:


> "Poke" for "pork" would be a very broad Southern accent, if not a parody. Again, we would need context, which we don't have. That said, I don't think pops was making fun of our accents.



CONTEXT: It's an old black woman speakin' in a Harry Crews novel (A Childhood). She is telling a story about being young and feeding a snake:

 "I did go back to the house and I did commence to start to haf up my vittles with that snake in the ditch. I took him on out there a biscuit with a hole in it. I took him on out there some of that fried poke. I took him on out there some rice, and I took him on out there vegetables when I Could".

So I think she's talkin about that polk salad...


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## Cal inhibes

Poke salad is highly venomous (even for snakes, I guess). Poke must  be fried or boiled.
Salud


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## duvija

Just in case, the confusion with ' ombú ' is quite funny. Never, ever, ever drink tea de 'hojitas de ombú'. It's one of the most potent laxatives known to man. (Or at least, that's how the story goes. It's the best medicine against cough, cuz you wouldn't dear...)


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## k-in-sc

I thought mate de leche was the most potent  (and could you please explain that to me!?)
I was going to say a snake would not eat pokeweed, fried or otherwise, but I see it is a talking snake with a white man's head, so all bets are off ...


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## duvija

k-in-sc said:


> I thought mate de leche was the most potent  (and could you please explain that to me!?)
> I was going to say a snake would not eat pokeweed, fried or otherwise, but I see it is a talking snake with a white man's head, so all bets are off ...




Noooo, mate de leche was what my mother always allowed me to drink as a snack in the afternoons. In theory, only the cold mate from Paraguay has those effects.


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## k-in-sc

Tereré? Why?
Yeah, they give mate de leche to kids and it cleans them out. Did it not you?


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## duvija

k-in-sc said:


> Tereré? Why?
> Yeah, they give mate de leche to kids and it cleans them out. Did it not you?



I always auto-cleansed myself pretty nicely, thanks for asking. That's why they didn't allow to drink mate - made with water - more than once in a while. I don't know if the milk counteracted the cleansing, but that's what my mother used to say. Of course, the milk wasn't homogenized, so it formed ' nata ' (not the one in Spain, but what we call nata) and clogged up the bombilla. Drinking that was good physical exercise.


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## k-in-sc

Well, now I have conflicting opinions on this subject! I better figure out a way to get to the bottom of it


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## duvija

k-in-sc said:


> Well, now I have conflicting opinions on this subject! I better figure out a way to get to the bottom of it


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