Preparing food is so much more than following a recipe to me. It's loving and nourishing my family, it's following traditions, and it's building memories. So I'll share some stories and traditions with whomever will read this.
Gumbo:
It's not just "a stew originating from Louisiana." It's a staple of the Louisiana kitchen, it's a way of distinguishing the the Creole and New Orleans culture, it's a social event, it's a way of life, it's what LSU decided to call it's yearbook for crying out loud!
Now, the scariest part about preparing Gumbo happens at the very beginning. The roux! My sister says that it's like playing "chicken." You have to cook the roux to a chocolatey brown color to achieve that rich gumbo flavor, but you can't burn it. Well, of course, that color and flavor that you are looking for happens only a split moment before the roux burns. How far do you take it.... how far will you push your roux to get the richest flavor? Marcelle Beinvennu, the author of the cookbook "Who's Your Mama, Are You Catholic, and Can You Make A Roux?" says that her father said that you cook a roux for Gumbo as long as it takes you to drink two beers. Well she says that since she doesn't really drink beer but loves music, she cooks it as long as it takes her to listen to two full length albums.
If you can make it past the roux, you are home free. It's time consuming, but the rest of it is relatively easy. You throw in all of your ingredients, let them cook for a few hours, and voila! Enjoy!
The Roux when it's still friendly
This is the roux after I've put the vegetables in (the "holy trinity" as they call it in Louisiana... celery, onion, and bell pepper)
And finally... the finished product complete with wine
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2 comments:
oh it sounds lovely! and i love the photos you put together.
I've never had this, but it sure looks great!
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