In the world of Louisiana culinary arts one dish stands out. The recipe is a masterpiece created by an infusion of various cultures, combining okra from West Africa, a European fish stew, and a Native American spice. Unsurprisingly, the dish reflects the attitude of its creators: a simple down-to-earth people who use the ordinary, but abundant resources around them to survive in bayou country. Thus, gumbo is a basic concoction of ingredients widely available in Louisiana, thrown into a pot and made with love. That being said, to a native Louisianan eating gumbo is more than a meal, the smells, tastes, and sights of the mixture have been ingrained into their psyche and the state’s culture.
Gumbo starts with an almost burnt base of roux. This mix of flour and fat is cooked carefully and slowly in a cast iron skillet. This oil sizzling in the pan gives the flour the color of the Mississippi River, a robust and murky brown. The file, a seasoning used by the Choctaw, adds a sprinkle of green to the stew that floats on the surface like algae on a swamp. Additionally, the oils from the seafood and meats add another layer of color to the meal. One that encircles the pot like a ring, floats on the top like clear bubbles, and dissolves itself within the
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Shrimp gives the stew a rustic non-fishy smell that is the first to hit the nose. Because of the way the shrimp is cooked that smell is not overpowering like some seafood dishes are. File infuses itself in the sent penetrating your tingling smell receptors. One's nose is offered to explore the earthy scent of the finely ground sassafras in the file. In fully cooked gumbo, strong spices of Andouille sausage combine with piping hot steam to open the nostrils further. Allowing the diner to take in more of the gumbo's unique and glorious smell. Also, without smelling the taste of gumbo can never be fully experienced because the sense of smell enhances