Gullah Geechee CATERING Excellence

Okra is a staple ingredient with deep roots in Southern cooking and Gullah Geechee foodways, known for its distinct flavor and versatility in the kitchen. Found in everything from stews to rice dishes like okra purloo, it has long been a key ingredient in meals that bring comfort, culture, and community to the table. Its journey begins in West Africa, where okra was widely cultivated before being brought to the Americas during the transatlantic slave trade. Once here, it became an essential ingredient because it was resilient, easy to grow, and incredibly adaptable. Over time, it found its way into a variety of dishes across the South, shaped by the hands and traditions of those who carried its legacy forward. One of the reasons okra has remained so popular is the many ways it can be prepared. It can be fried until crisp, roasted for a deeper flavor, stewed into dishes like gumbo, or cooked down with rice, seafood, and smoked meats to create rich, hearty meals. Whether sliced and sautéed or left whole and grilled, okra takes on flavor beautifully and can be as simple or as layered as the dish calls for. Beyond its cultural and culinary significance, okra also offers a range of health benefits. It’s high in fiber, rich in vitamin C, and packed with antioxidants that support overall wellness. It’s also naturally low in calories, making it a nourishing addition to meals that don’t sacrifice flavor.  Whether you’re cooking it in a classic dish or trying a new approach, okra continues to hold its place as an ingredient that connects history, culture, and good food—one pot at a time.

Each year, the Charleston Wine + Food brings together chefs, food lovers, and culinary storytellers from across the country to celebrate the flavors that make the Lowcountry so special. Carolima’s Lowcountry Cuisine has proudly participated in the festival for the past four years, and it continues to be one of our favorite events. It’s always exciting to connect with locals and visitors who are curious about the food traditions that shape our community and the dishes we love to share. This year, we served a comforting Lowcountry favorite: okra purloo . Our version featured rice with fresh okra, shrimp, and smoked sausage, creating a rich and flavorful one-pot dish that truly represents the heart of Lowcountry cooking. On the side, we served crispy fatback , adding that perfect salty bite that many people remember from traditional Southern tables. It’s a simple dish with big flavor—perfect for feeding a crowd and introducing festival guests to one of the Charleston’s most beloved rice dishes. Purloo is deeply rooted in the foodways of the Gullah Geechee culture that helped shape Lowcountry cuisine. Ingredients like rice and okra , which trace their origins to Africa, became foundational in many dishes throughout the region. Enslaved Africans and their descendants were often given limited provisions or leftover cuts of meat and had to make something nourishing from what was available. Those scrap meats—such as pork jowls, also known as fatback, or what we affectionately call in the Gullah Geechee community “butts meat”—were combined with rice and vegetables to create hearty, flavorful dishes that could feed many people. For us, participating in Charleston Wine + Food is about more than serving great food. It’s about sharing the culture, traditions, and stories behind the dishes we cook every day at Carolima’s. Watching guests taste okra purloo for the first time, ask questions, and connect with the flavors of the Lowcountry is always a highlight—and we’re grateful to represent these traditions year after year.