Above is a picture of a “gumbo” from Bon Appetit magazine. The problem? That is not gumbo.
There are many varieties and many recipes for this delightful southern stew. There are family recipes and there are playful rogues, each bringing their own variation to this delightful meal. But, while there may be no correct recipe for gumbo, there sure as hell is an incorrect way. And, inevitably, it comes by way of outsiders trying to be edgy and/or inclusive.
Over the weekend, I noticed something very odd on social media, and had to stop and blink a few times. Surely, I was mistaken, as there was no way I could possibly be looking at a gumbo that is clear, red, and has beef chunks in it.
There are several things wrong here, and I would like to address them.
The first is that while this ingredient list is long, there are two key ingredients missing: flour and oil.
These are the two basic ingredients for roux, the typical base for sauces in Cajun country. That mixture, when whisked constantly over a consistent heat, creates a deep flavor that is the basis for the levels of flavor a gumbo builds. The recipe linked above doesn't have you building that base to stack the other flavors upon. Without that roux, you are mixing flavors, not building them.
The second issue that I have here is the inclusion of beef and diced tomatoes. The creole variation of gumbo occasionally calls for stewed tomatoes, but never diced, and the use of the beef in gumbo is unheard of. I also take issue with combining meat and seafood. Never mix land and sea in your gumbo.
The third issue I have is with the name of the recipe. "Okra gumbo" is likely repetitive. The term "gumbo" is likely derived from the West African name for okra, which is where the vegetable comes from.
At the end of this week’s newsletter, I will give you a good recipe for gumbo.
A Broken Race for a Broken Supreme Court
On Friday evening, I was out ending a tremendously exhausting week by grabbing a couple of frozen drinks to bring home and finally relax for the weekend.
While sitting in the drive-thru line waiting to order the drinks, my phone started buzzing. A lot. Finally, I picked it up, satisfied that the line wasn't going to move an inch while I was on my phone. You can probably guess what all the notifications were about.
Folks, I am not going to lie to you here. My first reaction wasn't a moment of silence, or a tweet praising Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg as a trailblazer. It was a text to a friend in the political world: "I can't do this. Not again."
And honestly, despite knowing the balance of the nation's highest court is at stake, and knowing that this is a fight that was inevitable given her health, that is still the general feeling I get whenever this conversation comes up. I am tired "af", as the kids would say, and it's only going to get more exhausting.
Republicans were quick to express their sympathies while many Democrats were quick to make demands of President Donald Trump and the Republican-led Senate. There were people who were threatening riots and violence. There were others celebrating. It was total madness, and frankly the kind of behavior we should be above.
But, nope. We as a society have focused all of our attention on the importance of the Supreme Court, adding more importance to it than there need be, really, and making it the final battleground of all political issues (except, you know, when they make the "wrong" decision so you keep arguing over those supposedly-settled battles). We have become insanely driven by the idea that the other side is the enemy and that they must be defeated in court for a victory to have any real meaning.
And what is it that we're fighting over, here? It's a broken race for a broken court. We are, as a society, so dependent on lifetime political appointments because we have given up on things like legislating and negotiating. We would rather allow a group of nine people to tell us what is right and what is wrong than fight in the legislative chambers to get the most done for as many people as possible.
The Supreme Court's job is to tell us what is constitutional and what is not, with the great irony being that the power to do so has no constitutional grounds whatsoever. It was invented by the Court early in its history, and ever since -- though particularly in the modern era -- we have deferred so much to it that we have created the power it wields. Power the Constitution never originally gave it.
The system, from our political values to our political system, is broken. That, in turn, has broken the branches of government and thrown out the balance of power the Constitution built.
It is sad that everyone on both sides was quick to immediately think of the impact Ginsburg's death would have on the Supreme Court and the 2020 Presidential race (and yes, I am lumping myself in with that crowd). It shows how broken we all are that we couldn't really take a weekend off and pray for Ginsburg's family. We jumped straight into the demands, the ambitions, and the analysis of the situation. It doesn't feel right. It feels like we are irreparably shattered as a society and it's difficult to imagine how we can come back together in the future.
Homestyle Podcast: Sewing for Mardi Gras and Pandemics
On this week’s episode of Homestyle, my co-host Leigh Guidry and I visit with Christine Savoie, who started sewing in 4-H when she was in school and has since moved on to making everything from pet outfits to Mardi Gras outfits to masks during COVID-19.
While I typically disapprove of pet outfits, I am really amazed by the work on the other stuff. I want to start making masks.
If you want to hear more, you can always go back and listen to previous episodes, and we’d love to hear your feedback. Subscribe, rate, and review the podcast here, and if you have cooking, crafting, or family activity ideas, you can find us on Facebook and on Instagram (@Homestylepod).
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The Homestyle Podcast is a joint venture between myself and one of my best friends, education reporter Leigh Guidry. Throughout each episode, we discuss cooking, crafting, and other hobbies as well as how we make sure to spend time with our families despite how insanely busy life can be. The goal of the podcast has always been to take a moment to focus on what’s really important because, at the end of the day, family and life is more important than whatever distractions are going on in the world around us.
Recipe of the Week: Gumbo
Now, this particular recipe comes from my friend, Erick Erickson. Since I started making my own gumbo, I have been using his recipe. The most important parts of the recipe are the parts about the beer and the bay leaves.
Also, along with the rice, the Cajuns have taught me that a scoop of potato salad in the gumbo bowl elevates it to a whole new level. And that is why I love south Louisiana.
1 pk Andouille Sausage; Don’t use spicy andouille. (I use Savoie’s andouille)
1 medium yellow onion; finely chopped
3 stalks Celery; finely chopped
1 large Bell Pepper; finely chopped
4 boneless, skinless Chicken Breasts
2 tsp. Minced Garlic; heaping
3 bottles Beer
1 cup Vegetable Oil
1 1/2 cup All-purpose flour
3 Bay Leaves
1 tbsp Salt
1 tbsp Tony Chachere’s Cajun seasoning
1 tsp Black Pepper
1 tsp Thyme
1/2 tsp Cayenne Pepper
64 oz Chicken Stock; Heat 32 oz in microwave to boiling
2 tbsp Vegetable Oil
2 cup Frozen Okra; chopped
1 cup Rice
2 cup Water
Chop all vegetables finely. Slice the sausage into no more than 1/4 inch discs. Cut the chicken into bite sized chunks.
Open first beer. Put chicken stock in microwave, heat it, then set beside the dutch oven. Set on medium heat and add 1 cup of oil. Coat the bottom of the dutch oven. Sprinkle in the flour. Begin drinking the beer.
Stir constantly with a whisk for 20 minutes. Continue throughout drinking beer. After second beer is consumed, check to see that the roux is the color of a copper penny. If not, proceed to third beer and keep whisking. Do not go beyond 30 minutes.
When roux is the color of a well used copper penny, add the sausage and stir with a spoon. The sausage should begin to curl around the edges. When that happens add the onion, celery, and bell pepper. Add seasonings, bay leaves, and garlic. Stir for a minute to brown the garlic.
Add the chicken and keep stirring until the chicken is mostly white on the outside. Add the chicken stock. First pour in the preheated stock. Then add the additional. Bring it to a boil, reduce heat to low, and let simmer for an hour, stirring occasionally.
After an hour heat a skillet with 2 tablespoons of oil. Add okra. Heat until edges begin to brown, the stickiness is reduced, and seeds pop. Add to gumbo. At this point the gumbo is ready. If you want to add seafood, bring the gumbo to a boil, add the seafood, reduce heat to low again, and stir frequently for five minutes until the seafood is cooked through. Gumbo is tastier if cooled overnight in the fridge and reheated the next day.
Bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Once boiling, add 1 cup of rice, lightly salt, and cover for 20 minutes on low heat. Pour gumbo on top to eat.
Don’t eat the bay leaves.
Final Thoughts…
There’s a lot of discussion on Amy Coney Barrett and her faith and how it might impact her as a Supreme Court Justice if she were nominated and got Senate approval. A lot of the reporting out there comes across as anti-Catholic bigotry, and that is very problematic. Issuing what is essentially a religious test on someone prior to their taking any government office.
Right now, it’s not an actual religious test because it’s not Senators on the judiciary committee rejecting her because of her faith. But that trend is dangerous and can lead to imposing a religious test. It is as bad to do that for Catholics as it is to do it for Muslims - something that far-right politicians have tried. It is unconstitutional and just plain morally wrong.