Editor’s Note

My Cajun heritage goes back several generations, but I didn’t learn as much about my culture as I would’ve liked to, especially when it comes to cooking. However, there is one dish (literally only one) that I’ve mastered, and that’s chicken andouille gumbo.

Now, I say that, but it’s taken me most of my life to get it right. I can’t count how many failed attempts I’ve made over the years. I read many different recipes, watched videos, got tips from fellow cooks, but somehow, I could never get it right. And so, for a while I gave up on cooking gumbo. It just seemed like it wasn’t going to happen for me. Gumbo would not be in my already small repertoire.

Then one cold November Sunday just after Thanksgiving, I decided to try it again. For kicks. I’d taken the leftover turkey and bones from mom’s house to attempt making turkey andouille gumbo. Only, I got a little distracted as I was stirring the roux. My dog, Louie, had gotten into something, and I let the roux go a little too long. It turned a blackish-brown, and I was not happy. I’d gone and burned it. But it didn’t exactly smell burned, so I took a shot and dumped in the turkey stock, standing back as that big gush of steam whooshed out of the pot and stirred, hoping by some chance that I didn’t botch it, yet again.

And you know what? I didn’t! I didn’t burn the roux, and I didn’t ruin the gumbo. That’s when I realized how one tiny thing — the difference between a very dark brown roux and a somewhat dark brown one — could make or break a dish. I mean, on some level I knew what a difference a few degrees made (in cooking and in life), but to witness it firsthand was truly something. By the time I finished adding all the other ingredients, that gumbo was so delicious — in no way did it represent the bad attempts I’d made before. I was blown away. I know it’s just a dish, but it really is more than just a dish and anyone who’s made a good gumbo realizes that. This gumbo was rich and seasoned perfectly. My son said he’d put it up next to the gumbo in most restaurants in New Orleans (I know he’s my kid but he never said that about anything else I’ve cooked). So for me, it was mission accomplished.

The trick was always the roux, and I’ve heard that but never realized you have to practically burn it to get it as brown as it needs to be to infuse the gumbo with that smoky, earthy flavor. All this is to say that at the ripe old age of 50, I finally learned how to make a proper gumbo. Better late than never, I say.

To carry on with the gumbo theme, in this issue, Colby Lejeune talks about the different types of gumbo and his own memories of the dish. Eric Cormier explores some of the best new dining spots in the region. Regardless of whether you’re on the hunt for a new barbeque joint or a fancy bistro to celebrate a special occasion, there are lots of great suggestions here — a bounty of new places to add to your list.

Enjoy!

Reine Dugas
Editor
Reine@AcadianaProfile.com