Living by the Golden Roux

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New Orleans, LA -
Gumbo has been called the greatest contribution of Louisiana kitchens to American cuisine. This zesty, multi-layered concoction could only come from a state as colorful and full of history as Louisiana! "A little bit of this and a little bit of that," goes into every good gumbo and it pretty much sums up the history of Louisiana as well. The region was first claimed for Spain in 1541 by Hernando de Soto and no fewer than ten flags would govern Louisiana before the fifteen stars and stripes would forever fly over Baton Rouge, the state capital. La Salle once claimed the region for France and over the years, Louisiana would pledge allegiance to the Union Jack of Great Britain, the Tricolor of Napoleon, the Lone Star flag of the Republic of West Florida and at the outbreak of the Civil War, Louisiana became an Independent Republic for six weeks before joining the Confederacy!

This zesty, multi-layered concoction could only come from a state as colorful and full of history as Louisiana!

It was Louisiana's fertile land that made it one of the richest regions in America throughout much of its early history. Indigo, then sugar and finally cotton rose to prominence in world markets making Louisiana planters among the wealthiest men in America. Wealthy that is until the Civil War shattered what was then known as Louisiana's "plantation economy." Down but never out, the state marched on as a powerful agricultural region and its interest in gumbo never waned!

The word "gumbo" is derived from African words for okra: guingombo, tchingombo, and kingomboa. The pod-like vegetable was first introduced by African slaves who used it to thicken their stews. The French arrived with a "one pot" stew of their own called bouillabaisse, but its necessary ingredients were impossible to find in Louisiana. Though their beloved bouillabaisse would never be the same, good chefs went with the flow in Louisiana where the only alternative was using local ingredients instead.

After the Spanish, Africans and Louisiana natives made contributions to the stew, the French relented, as the new "one-pot" stew bore no resemblance to bouillabaisse whatsoever. What had been judged as only second best, was now deemed even better than the original... and so, Gumbo was born!

There are as many recipes for gumbo as there are chefs in Louisiana. Having the "best" recipe seems to bring out a competitive streak in everyone and no good cook wants to give up the "golden roux" without a very good reason. Gumbo recipes are often a closely guarded secret, but one rule is constant: first you make a roux, the base of every gumbo. A roux is made from flour and butter and once combined, it acts as the thickening agent or base for the gumbo. There are no hard fast rules for the rest of the gumbo ingredients; in fact, "anything that flies, crawls, creeps or lies still may end up in the gumbo pot!"

Always a "communal stew," gumbo plays an even more important role during Mardi Gras. In rural areas of Louisiana, riders don costumes and masks and participate in what is called the Courir de Mardi Gras, or "run of Mardi Gras." Riders visit many households over miles and miles of a designated route, sometimes over fifty miles long. As they near a house, a single rider advances to ask permission for the group to come up to the house. If permission is granted, they charge the house and begin to sing, dance and literally beg until the resident offers an ingredient for their gumbo. Live chickens are often thrown in the air to allow the horsemen a spirited game of chase! Polo ala Pollo so to speak!

People come from all over the world to watch the beginning of the Courir de Mardi Gras and even more witness and greet the riders as they cross the finish line and begin to prepare the large gumbo with all their prized ingredients. Finally, with bellies full, the festivities end promptly at midnight... the beginning of Lent. And so goes the history of gumbo... a little one-pot stew that has stood the test of time. At this very minute, chefs across the country and Louisianans young and old are enjoying their own special gumbo prepared in their own special way. Gumbo wasn't even impressed by a storm called Katrina... it's lived through the hardship of war and so much more! Still known as the food of the people, gumbo is African, it's French, Haitian and Spanish... Cajuns and Creoles call gumbo their own... so, why not give it a go and make your own gumbo tonight? In no time at all you'll be saying "Bon Apetite... gumbo is soooooo good!"