Vol. 3 - Gumbo

What if one bowl of stew could tell the story of an entire culture? A delicious fusion of flavours shaped by centuries of history.

Seafood Gumbo Recipe: Click Here!

Creole food is a testament to Louisiana’s rich cultural tapestry—a true fusion of French, Spanish, African, and Native American influences, with hints of Italian, German, and Caribbean flavours. Rooted in the bustling port city of New Orleans, Creole cuisine reflects the diverse mix of people who lived and thrived in Louisiana’s colonial era. Central to this tradition is gumbo, an iconic dish that encapsulates Creole culture’s melting-pot nature. Gumbo, like Louisiana itself, resists easy classification; each bowl is a culinary journey, blending ingredients and techniques from around the globe. The synonymity between Creole cuisine and the culture within the Deep South is exemplified in its appearance in hit 2009 Disney film, The Princess and the Frog!

                    Princess and The Frog- Tiana's Gumbo!

Creole cuisine stemmed from the early seventeenth century, in the cultural melting pot that was Colonial Louisiana. French settlers used their culinary expertise alongside ingredients brought via Spanish Conquistadors, Native American tribes and the West African slave trade. Spanish influences introduced tomatoes and peppers, while Native Americans contributed local herbs and seafood. Alongside this, the French technique of making roux- a flour based thickener for sauces and stews- combined with West African influences such as okra, created a cuisine both richly flavourful and endlessly adaptable, using what was locally available and in season.

Modern Creole Gumbo

Creole cooking was subsequently cultivated in the urban kitchens of New Orleans, a diverse city of Caribbean, Italian and German influences contributing to the existing demographic of French settlers. Such a distinct and varied community was thus mirrored in its cooking, birthing dishes such as Jambalaya, Étouffée and most notably, Gumbo. 

Traditional Creole Cuisine

Gumbo, likely takes its name from the African word for okra, “ki ngombo.” Traditionally, gumbo was made with okra or filé powder as a thickener, each reflecting different cultural roots. French roux, a mixture of flour and fat browned to perfection, added depth to the dish, creating variations that range from seafood-based gumbos with Gulf shrimp and crab to hearty chicken and sausage gumbos.

Gulf Shrimp Gumbo

Every bowl of gumbo reflects the rich, complex history of Creole cuisine, with recipes varying from household to household and from cook to cook. Over the years, gumbo has transcended class and region, becoming a beloved staple on both modest dinner tables and in high-end restaurants. Today, gumbo remains a testament to Creole culture’s resilience and adaptability, as well as its diverse heritage.

                          The Diverse World of Louisiana Soul Food!

But what if these culinary roles were reversed? What might French/Native American fusion food look like in an alternate history? Find out at the end of the Trading Tastes blog series as I make 4 unique dishes centred around a reality in which food fusion history is turned on its head!