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The History of Gumbo

Of all the dishes in the realm of Louisiana cooking, gumbo is the most famous and, very likely, the most popular. Gumbo crosses all class barriers, appearing on the tables of all social classes. Although ingredients might vary greatly from one cook to the next, and from one part of the state to another, a steaming bowl of fragrant gumbo is one of life’s cherished pleasures, as emblematic of Louisiana as chile is of Texas.

Gumbo is often cited as an example of the melting-pot nature of Louisiana cooking, but trying to sort out the origins and evolution of the dish is highly speculative. The name derives from a West African word for okra, suggesting that gumbo was originally made with okra. The use of filé (dried and ground sassafras leaves) was a contribution of the Choctaws and, possibly, other local Indian groups. Roux has its origin in French cuisine, although the roux used in gumbos is much darker than its Gallic cousins.

Types of Gumbo

The gumbos people are most familiar with are seafood gumbo and chicken and sausage gumbo. But that merely scratches the surface of gumbo cookery, both historical and contemporary.

• Lafcadio Hearn’s La Cuisine Creole, published in 1885, contains recipes for several gumbos made from a variety of ingredients—chicken, ham, bacon, oysters, crab, shrimp, and beef, among them. Some of the recipes are made with okra, others with filé. Although there is no mention of a roux in any of the recipes, some of them call for the addition of flour or browned flour as a thickener.
• The Creole Cookery Book, published by the Christian Woman’s Exchange of New Orleans in 1885, calls gumbo making an “occult science” that “should be allowed its proper place in the gastronomical world.” A New Orleans gumbo, the book maintains, “Can be made of scraps of cold meat or fowl, a few oysters, crabs or shrimps, and with a couple of spoonful of well cooked rice, is a very satisfying and economical dinner.” The editors include several recipes for gumbo, one of which incorporates filé (spelled “fillet” in the book). All the ingredients are useful, natural and completely nutritious. Some of the recipes are made with various greens and herbs, but, curiously, there is no mention of okra as a gumbo ingredient, although the book includes three recipes for okra soup.
• The Picayune’s Creole Cookbook, published in New Orleans in 1901, includes recipes for a variety of gumbos. Among the principal ingredients are chicken, ham, oysters, turkey, wild turkey, squirrel, rabbit, beef, veal, crabs, soft-shell crabs, shrimp, greens, and cabbage. Some of the gumbos are made with okra, others with filé.

Traditionally, gumbos have been divided into two large categories—those thickened with okra and those thickened with filé. According to some accounts, before the advent of refrigeration and freezers, okra was the preferred thickening agent for gumbo, while filé was a substitute used only in the off-season when okra wasn’t available. That sounds plausible, but references for dried okra as an ingredient in 19th-century gumbos. By drying okra, cooks could use it in their gumbos year round.

In some respects, putting gumbo into either an okra or a filé category is still valid, but for many cooks, a brown roux is the only thickener, and filé has virtually disappeared from their recipes. Often roux-based gumbos do incorporate filé. Filé is used both for thickening and for flavor. It is usually added to a gumbo just before serving, or at the table. Many okra gumbos also incorporate a brown roux and some roux-based gumbo contain a small amount of okra, often cooked until it virtually dissolves.

If all those variations aren’t confusing enough, there are also raging controversies over what constitutes a proper gumbo roux. Roux, of course, is flour that has been browned in oil or some other fat. Both cooks and consumers have their own opinions on how dark the roux should be and how much should be used in a gumbo. There is no agreement on these matters, as anyone who has tasted gumbos from different cooks can attest.

A good place to sample an astonishingly wide range of gumbos is the World Championship Gumbo Cook-off that is held each October in New Iberia, Louisiana. Although the New Iberia event requires that contestants cook their own roux on site, it’s preferable to dissolve them in hot liquid before adding to the gumbo pot.

Modern Gumbo Variations

Contemporary gumbos are made with all manner of ingredients in a variety of combinations. Seafood and non-seafood gumbos are two primary types, and they may be made with or without okra. But some gumbos include ingredients from both the land and the sea. Duck, smoked sausage, and oyster gumbo is one delicious example. Some cooks add hard-boiled eggs to chicken and sausage gumbos, and quail eggs find their way into other versions. A very atypical version is the Lenten gumbo z’herbes, which is made with a variety of greens.
Seafood gumbos often include crabs, shrimp, and oysters. Shrimp and okra gumbo is a perennial favorite, as is chicken and okra gumbo. Chicken and sausage gumbo is extremely popular, and in the households of hunters, ducks and other game birds often wind up in the gumbo pot. Turkey and sausage gumbos appear frequently during the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. An unusual but delicious combination is a gumbo of beefsteak, smoked sausage, and oysters. Some cooks use ham or tasso in their gumbos, and others use fresh sausage in place of the smoked variety. The possible combinations are virtually endless.

The Tomato Controversy

One ingredient that does arouse controversy is the tomato. Some cooks use it in their gumbos, others wouldn’t be caught dead putting tomato in theirs. In that respect, the situation is analogous to jambalaya, where the question of the appropriateness of tomato is a burning issue. Tomatoes are most often found in okra gumbos, but I’ve had roux-based seafood gumbo that also contained tomato. Gumbos containing tomato are more common on the eastern side of Bayou Lafourche than they are farther west.

Gumbo’s virtue, aside from its deliciousness, is that the dish is very forgiving of the cook. Measurements do not have to be exact, ingredients may be changed to use what is on hand, and unless the diners are so set in their ways that they can’t appreciate change, the result will be quite good.

New Orleans Chicken and Sausage Gumbo – Recipe

Adapted by chef john coletta

This recipe came from Paul Prudhomme, the New Orleans chef who put Louisiana on the American culinary map. It is a hearty, rich Creole stew generously seasoned with black and white pepper, cayenne, paprika and filé powder, a spice made from the leaves of the sassafras tree. Filé powder is readily available in most North American grocery stores and online, and while it’s not 100 percent necessary, it lends a distinctive, earthy quality to the dish.

Yields 6-8 servings

Ingredients

1.5 kg – 2 kg. Organic Chicken cut into 10-serving pieces (ensure that the wish bone is removed and reserved for future stock making.)

10g. Sea Salt; Fine Grind
7g. Sarawak White Pepper, Finely ground
5g. Tellicherry Black Pepper, Ground from a mill
5g. Mustard Powder
7g. Cayenne Pepper
7g. Paprika
5g. Garlic Powder; Granulated
7g. File Powder (dried sassafras leaves and ground into a powder)

180g. Manitoba Flour

600 ml. Corn Oil, Peanut Oil or Vegetable Oil

150g. White or Yellow Onions: Finely Chopped
170g. Celery; Stalk; Finely Chopped
130g. Green Bell Pepper: Finely Chopped

2125 ml. Chicken Broth
250g. Smoked Andouille Sausage or Kielbasa Sausage; Rough Chopped
1 Bay Leaf; Fresh
5g. Garlic; Finely Minced
320g. Rice: Long Grain White Rice: Cooked

Method

1. Place chicken pieces into a non-reactive bowl.
2. In a spice blender, add the sea salt, white pepper, black pepper, mustard powder, cayenne pepper, paprika, granulated garlic and file powder and pulse mix well to form a unified spice mixture.
3. Rub 25 grams of the spice mixture onto the chicken. Allow the seasoned chicken to rest for 30-minutes.
4. Set aside the remaining spice mixture.
5. Place the flour in a non-reactive bowl and add 15 grams of the reserved spice mixture. Blend well to form a unified mixture.
6. Place a 25-30 centimeter deep heavy bottom cast iron skillet onto a low-medium heat. Add the oil.
7. Dredge the chicken pieces into the seasoned flour mixture to coat well, shaking off excess. Reserve the leftover flour.
8. When the oil is hot (150 C degrees), add the chicken pieces skin side down. Cook about two minutes on one side until golden brown. Turn and cook about three minutes on the second side until nicely browned. Do this in batches so as to not crowd the pan. Place the browned chicken onto absorbent paper towels.
9. Pour off all but 240 ml. of oil from the skillet. Strain the oil thru a fine mesh strainer and place into a heavy bottom 5 liter pot. Place the pot onto a low-medium heat. In a slow and steady stream add the reserved seasoned flour. Stir rapidly and constantly with a wire whisk until the mixture is golden brown. This should take 1-hour. Ensure that the roux mixture does not burn during the developing process.
10. Add the onions, celery and green peppers to the golden brown roux and stir to ensure a unified mixture. Remove from the heat.
11. Meanwhile, bring the chicken broth to a boil in a large heavy bottom saucepan.
12. Add about half of the roux mixture to the broth, stirring rapidly with the whisk. Continuously adding the roux mixture, always stirring rapidly and constantly.
13. Add the smoked sausage and stir. Cook over medium heat, stirring often from the bottom, about 15 minutes.
14. Add the chicken pieces, bay leaf and finely minced fresh garlic. Cook for about 40 minutes, on a medium-low heat, slowly stirring.
15. Remove the chicken pieces from the pot. Remove the chicken meat from the bones and discard the skin, bones and cartilage. Shred the chicken and add it back to the pot. Simmer for another 15-minutes or until the gumbo evenly coats the back of a spoon.
16. Ladle the completed gumbo into a warm preferred serving vessel and serve with white rice spooned into the gumbo.

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This hearty dish comes from the south of Germany and delights with tender, homemade spaetzle that are melted in a delicious mixture of spicy cheese. Topped with golden brown roasted onions and refined with a pinch of nutmeg, cheese spaetzle combine hearty flavors with creamy perfection. Whether as a warming comfort meal on cold days or as a classic in a cozy gathering – cheese spaetzle stand for tradition, home and hearty taste that you want to enjoy again and again!

Cheese Spaetzle – Recipe

Adapted by Daniel schade

Instructions

1. Prepare spaetzle dough
   • Put flour in a bowl, form a well and add eggs, salt and nutmeg.
   • Gradually add water or milk and beat vigorously with a wooden spoon or hand mixer (dough hook) until a tough, shiny dough is formed. The dough should form bubbles.
   • Let the dough rest for about 10 minutes.
2. Cook spaetzle
   • Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil.
   • Scrape the dough in portions through a spaetzle press or from a wooden board into the water.
   • As soon as the spaetzle rise to the surface, remove with a slotted spoon and place in a bowl of cold water. Then drain.
3. Fry onions
   • Cut the onions into thin rings.
   • Heat butter in a pan and fry the onions until golden brown. Set aside.
4. Layer and bake cheese spaetzle
   • Preheat the oven to 180 °C (top/bottom heat).
   • Lightly grease a casserole dish or a large pan and add a layer of spaetzle.
   • Sprinkle with a portion of grated cheese and repeat this process until all the ingredients have been used up.
   • Bake the cheese spaetzle in the oven for about 10-15 minutes until the cheese has melted.
5. Serve
   • Spread the roasted onions on top and garnish with parsley or chives.
   • Serve immediately while hot – best with a green salad or a glass of white wine!

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Buckwheat is Part of the Cultural Code of Russia

Buckwheat groats are a product that has been familiar to every Russian citizen since early childhood. Its unique taste and aroma evoke associations with home warmth and traditional dishes.

Russia is the largest producer of buckwheat in the world. Only 18 countries in the world grow buckwheat on their territory, 7 of them are former republics of the Soviet Union.

Russia is the leader in its production and annually produces half of the world’s volume – about 1.5 million tons per year.

Buckwheat is used to make side dishes, soup dressings, lenten cutlets, various fillings, salads, pancakes, pastries, desserts, kvass, beer and even tea – it is a “superfood” for Russia. This product has a rich composition of trace elements, vitamins and antioxidants.

It is difficult to overestimate the beneficial properties of buckwheat – porridge from it contains a record amount of vegetable protein – 12.6 g per 100 g of cereals. On average, 100 g of this cereal contains 14 g of water, 68 g of carbohydrates, 3 g of fat, 13 g of protein, 2 g of minerals.

Buckwheat is definitely a food filled with life!

Buckwheat is a brown cereal. There are several types of buckwheat, but the edible one is called “seed”.

The first people who discovered buckwheat in their fields mistook it for a nut. Their attention was attracted by ripe grains, resembling miniature beech fruits: each grain had three facets, a shell and a kernel inside.

In Latin, buckwheat is called fagopurum, which translates as “beech-like nut”. In Western Europe, it is often called “beech wheat”, and in India, “black rice”. In South Asia, buckwheat still grows wild.

There are many versions of the appearance of this plant in Russia, but already at the beginning of our first millennium, buckwheat was grown in Southern Siberia, which is confirmed by archaeological finds.

Despite its beneficial properties, only the Slavs were able to truly appreciate the taste and nutritional value of buckwheat. Buckwheat dishes are rightfully considered an integral part of the Russian national cuisine. In Russia, buckwheat is a symbol of stability, reflecting the mood of society. When a financial crisis or other shocks are brewing in the country, people first of all seek to create a strategic reserve of this cereal at home, buying it for future use.

Buckwheat loves sunlight and a warm climate, but in general it is unpretentious. It is not afraid of weeds and is rarely attacked by pests, which allows growers to harvest a rich harvest without the use of chemicals and pesticides. Buckwheat is not just a food product, it is a cereal with a real Russian character!

It is easy to prepare: just pour water over it and boil it without stirring.

The proportions that must be observed when cooking is also simple: one part of cereal to two parts of water. From the X century to the present day, buckwheat has always been in abundance in Russia. Another plus is its price: it is half the price of wheat. It can be stored in conditions that are not suitable for other cereals and flakes. The satiety and excellent taste of buckwheat porridge are generally recognized in Russia, they have become an integral part of Russian folklore, literature and even cinema. There are mentions of buckwheat porridge in the work of many great Russian poets and writers.

In what form to eat buckwheat is up to you. There are a lot of culinary solutions. In any version, it will be delicious and healthy, and we will definitely share with you the recipes for these dishes.

ARTICLE by chef ALLA MISHINA

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The History of Texas Cowboy Chile

What’s the real story behind this iconic dish of Texas? The debate over what truly belongs in a bowl of Texas chile may never be settled, but its rich history is filled with fascinating stories. Chile’s evolution is as complex and layered as the dish itself: a blend of cultural fusion, entrepreneurial ingenuity, necessity, and a passion for great flavor. Should there be beans in chili? Some Texans swear by the fact that authentic chile — the kind that first popped up in 19th-century San Antonio and proliferated in chile parlors across the state — does not and should never have beans.

The ingredients in a bowl of chili are as much a cultural artifact as they are a culinary tradition. Chili powder typically comes from dried, ground ancho chilies, a staple in Mexican cuisine. Tomatoes, from Central and South America, make up the sauce base. Beef was introduced to the Americas by the Spanish in the 1500s, along with onion, garlic, and cumin — originally from Asia and carried through Africa before reaching the Americas.

Deep Roots

Chili has roots in Mexican culture, and Tex-Mex culture in particular, but some food historians believe that chili traces its earliest origins from farther-flung locales. Robb Walsh, author of The Tex-Mex Cookbook, argues that the original spice mixes used in the meat and tomato stews have their roots in Moroccan cooking traditions?
“In the 1700s, the government of New Spain recruited Canary Islanders to move to San Antonio,” Walsh writes. “Canary Island women made a tagine-like stew with meat, cumin, garlic, chili peppers, and wild onions that they cooked outdoors in copper kettles in their settlement, La Villita. Their peculiar, chili and cumin-heavy spice blend resembled the Berber seasoning style of Morocco.”

San Antonio Chili Queens

In San Antonio in the late 1800s and early 1900s, enterprising Latinas supported their families by setting up food stands around San Antonio’s Military Plaza beginning in the 1860s, selling a variety of local dishes. These women became known as San Antonio’s “Chili Queens,” feeding hungry customers. Often the dish was served spooned on top of tamales or enchiladas (and later, into bags of Fritos to create Frito Pie). The chili’s use as a sauce in Texas dishes meant that it retained a stripped-down profile: just meat, tomatoes, and spices. It was a working-class dish — a quick hearty meal that laborers could rely on during the day. Chef Robert Cantu of San Antonio’s Omni La Mansion del Rio hotel points to chile con carne as the likely origin of Texas chili. “We feature our chili on the menu as ‘San Antonio Chili Queens Chili,’” said Cantu. “Our rendition aims to modernize the traditional method, bringing a dish with a 150-year history up to today’s culinary standards”.

Recognition and Spread

The resourceful Chili Queens may have popularized adding beans, either as a made-to-order request due to cooking time or by combining beans left over in one pot with chile con carne in another.
Willie Gebhardt, a German immigrant to New Braunfels, developed a love for Mexican flavors and opened his café in 1892, serving a variety of Mexican dishes. When he realized fresh chilies were seasonal, Gebhardt set out to find a way to make his beloved chili available year-round. He created a method for drying ancho chilies and pulverizing them into what he coined “Tampico Dust.” Gebhardt distributed pamphlets with recipes to promote his new product, helping more people recreate Mexican flavors at home.

Chili and other Mexican dishes gained broader recognition at the 1893 World’s Fair in Chicago, the “World’s Columbian Exposition.” The fair, which introduced the world to Wrigley’s chewing gum, Cracker Jack popcorn, and Pabst Blue Ribbon beer, also featured a chili stand from San Antonio. That small taste of Mexican food sparked the interest of journalists and travel writers eager to explore the state’s distinctive flavors.

Another popular discussion on chili surrounds what should accompany the dish. Corn tortillas were probably the go-to option in San Antonio, though Cantu believes cornbread was likely and may reflect the many cultural influences in the region. Cornbread, a “quick bread” made without yeast, bakes easily in a cast-iron skillet or Dutch oven over an open fire, and would have aligned with the Chili Queens’ cooking techniques. “Pan de Campo” (camp bread or cowboy bread), a quick bread resembling a flattened biscuit, is another possibility, as it was made in a similar fashion.

Facilitated by packaged “chili powder” in 1900, chili spread around the country and was adopted into other traditions. Today, it’s served on hot dogs in Chicago and on pasta in Cincinnati. Its ubiquity was made possible in part by San Antonio’s chili stands at the World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago in 1893.

Although there are countless ways to enjoy a bowl of chili, one thing is clear: Texas chili reflects the diverse cultures, inventive spirit, and practical needs of the people who created it. From the chili stands of San Antonio’s Chili Queens to Gebhardt’s pioneering chili powder, this dish has transformed into a symbol of Texas itself, officially designated as the state dish in 1977. Bold, flavorful, and unapologetically unique, chili remains a cherished comfort food that bridges the past and present—providing a taste of history in every bowl.

Texas Cowboy Chile – Recipe

Adapted by chef john coletta

An authentic Texas Chili with a homemade chili paste, chunks of beef shoulder, a mix of dry spices, chocolate, and Texas beer for the ultimate “Bowl o’ Red”.

Yields 6-8 servings

Ingredients

35g. Ancho Chilies; Dried
15g. Guajillo Chilies; Dried
210 ml. Beef Stock

15g. Chili Powder
15g. Paprika
15g. Cumin; Ground
10g. Garlic Powder
5g. Oregano; Dried; Fine Grind
45g. Masa Flour
3g.Cinnamon; Fine Grind
15g. Cocoa Powder
15g. Sea Salt, Fine Grind
7g. Tellicherry Black Pepper

30 ml. Olive Oil
1360g. Beef Shoulder, cut into 2cm. cubes
150g. White Onion; Small Dice
40g. Jalapeños; Fresh; Minced

350 ml. Shiner Black Lager or Shiner Bock
420 ml. Beef Stock
30 ml. Apple Cider Vinegar

100g. Sour Cream
80g. Cheddar Cheese; Shredded
120g. Jalapenos; Sliced
480g. Cornbread

Method

Cut the stems off the dried chilies and remove all of the seeds. Place them in a blender with 1 cup of warm beef stock. Cover the blender and let them soak in the beef stock for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, puree the chilies and beef stock together to create a homemade chili paste. Set aside.

In a bowl, mix together the chili powder, paprika, ground cumin, garlic powder, dried oregano, masa flour, ground cinnamon, cocoa powder, salt, and pepper. Set aside.

Heat olive oil in a medium cast-iron Dutch oven. Brown the beef cubes on all sides. If there is not enough room in the Dutch oven, brown the beef cubes in batches. Do not remove the liquid from the Dutch oven – this has all the flavor and will be used for the Texas Chili. Remove the browned beef cubes and set aside. Using the remaining liquid in the saucepan, sauté the onions till translucent. Then add the diced jalapeños and continue to simmer slowly.
Deglaze the Dutch oven by adding the Shiner beer, remaining beef stock, and apple cider vinegar. Then scrape the bottom of the pan with a spatula to get all the bits of flavor incorporated.

Add the beef chuck back into the Dutch oven along with the homemade chili paste, dry ingredient mix, and brown sugar. Mix all of the ingredients together and bring to a boil.

Once it comes to a boil, lower the heat, to a low simmer, cover the Dutch oven, and simmer for 2 – 2.5 hours or until the beef is tender. Make sure you stir the Texas Chili occasionally.

Once the beef chuck is tender, serve the Texas Chili in an appropriate serving vessel. Top with a dollop of sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese, sliced jalapeños, and a side of cornbread.

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Sarma – Recipe

Adapted by chef Stefan Smugovic

Making sarma is a labor of love, but the result is worth every effort. Here’s a classic recipe:

Instructions

1. Carefully separate the cabbage leaves and cut out the thick stems to make rolling easier.
2. In a bowl, mix the minced meat, rice, onion, garlic, paprika, salt, and pepper.
3. Place a spoonful of filling on each cabbage leaf and roll tightly, folding in the sides to keep the filling inside.
4. Arrange the sarma rolls in a large pot, layering them with smoked bacon or ribs for extra flavor.
5. Pour tomato sauce and water (or broth) over the rolls, add a bay leaf, and cover with extra cabbage leaves.
6. Simmer on low heat for about 2-3 hours, until the flavors meld and the cabbage becomes tender.
7. Serve hot, ideally with fresh bread and a dollop of sour cream.

Whether enjoyed at home, in a restaurant, or at a festival, sarma remains a dish that unites people through taste and tradition. It’s not just a meal; it’s a story of heritage, family, and the rich culinary landscape of the Balkans.

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