October 12th is National Gumbo Day #NationalGumboDay. Gumbo is a dish neither Charlie or I’ve ever had. Before you ask No, I don’t plan on trying #Gumbo because I don’t like any type of Seafood and Charlie hasn’t tried most Seafood. Gumbo would be a new dish for Charlie to try out.
Before you ask what about David even with all the vegetables inside Gumbo David does like Gumbo. I was thinking I might make a pot of Gumbo for Charlie. David would need someone to eat Gumbo with him. Would you like to join David for dinner?
National Gumbo Day is celebrated on October 12th which is a time to appreciate this heavily seasoned, savory State dish of Louisiana. Although, Gumbo is a perfect bit of indulgence any day, anywhere! Gumbo typically consists of strongly-flavored stock with Meat or Shellfish, a thickener, and seasoned Vegetables.
The seasoned Vegetables may include Celery, Bell Peppers, and Onions. In the Cajun cuisine, the trio is known as the “holy trinity. Most people serve Gumbo over Rice. Curl up on the couch and savor the flavors on National Gumbo Day, or enjoy Gumbo with family and friends.
As is quite common with the lesser-known holidays, even diligent research doesn’t reveal the first instance or true origins of National Gumbo Day. We do know that since 1989, the City of New Iberia, Louisiana has held a widely publicized yearly Championship Gumbo Cookoff every October, a festival that injects two million dollars annually into the local economy, though the contest was cancelled in 2020 due to pandemic concerns.
Let’s start with the etymology of the word “Gumbo.” A certain amount of ambiguity survives to this day, since one of the main ingredients, Okra, is translated in the Niger-Congo languages spoken by slaves of the time as “Quingombo,” while another main ingredient, filé, in the tongues of the Native American Choctaw peoples of the region, is pronounced “Kombo.” So, like the American Hamburger, no one can claim credit for Gumbo’s origin with absolute certainty.
The question is what makes Gumbo such a big deal? Its historical significance to Louisiana goes back to the beginning of the 19th Century when English settlers arrived in the area and took note of the rich, hearty, Stew-like and spicy! dish.
Gumbo has never lost its momentum as a staple of Louisiana cuisine. Gumbo is the “official food” of Louisiana, and we would be hard-pressed to find a restaurant in the region that didn’t have Gumbo on the menu.
Also, Gumbo is not just a dish for commoners. In 1972, to commemorate the passing of Louisiana Senator Allen Ellender, the Senate’s cafeteria added Creole Gumbo to its menu as a permanent fixture. At its essence, there are two versions of Gumbo, one originating with the Cajun people (from “Acadian,” a Canadian designation), and the other with the Creoles who had settled the region from France and Spain along with an enslaved African contingent.
Gumbos from both camps usually start with a Roux. Which is a French-style mixture of Flour and fat and may contain the Vegetable Okra, Beef, Fowl or Sausage, the “holy trinity” of Vegetables, pungent Spices like “filé”, and whatever the Chef throws in to make the batch big enough for a crowd.
National Gumbo Day Activities
- A good Gumbo recipe prepared with professionalism and love will outperform any written description. So we challenge you to find that perfect bowl. And as you lean back and digest, the Gumbo make a note to repeat the celebration next October 12th.
- Whether or not you’re unbeatable in the kitchen, National Gumbo Day is the perfect time to try your hand at the right combination of Base, Spices, Veggies, and Protein. If you’re in Louisiana, enter the contest!
- Share what you’ve learned, what you’ve tasted, and what you want to know about Gumbo, using the hashtag #nationalgumboday and have fun!
Facts About Okra
- Internationally, Okra is often referred to as “Ladies’ Fingers.”
- The earliest written records reveal that Okra was first cultivated in Abyssinia (modern-day Ethiopia) in the 12th Century.
- One reason that it’s so efficient to grow Okra in the Southern United States is that Okra is a cousin of the Cotton Plant, both members of the Mallow (Malvaceae) family that respond well to the climate and other conditions.
- Okra Seeds, which of course have been around as long as Okra itself, have commonly been ground up and used to brew a hot beverage like Coffee but with no caffeine. Would you like a cup because I believe I will pass and stick to regular Coffee.
- Okra’s earliest arrivals to the New World (New Orleans, Dutch Guinea, Brazil) were due to the transatlantic slave trade, carried by ships with human cargo.
Why People Love National Gumbo Day
- Gumbo is a dish with Spanish, French, African, Native American, German, and Caribbean influences, all coming together in one hearty meal.
- The question is who would have thought that one single culinary dish could be connected to such a wealth of history, spanning continents? Gumbo is, and so on National Gumbo Day, pick up a spoon and join in.
- There’s even a tradition in New Orleans, the “Courir de Mardi Gras,” where local men go door-to-door begging for Gumbo ingredients, and then cook the Gumbo in the square that night. Wouldn’t it be fun to do this in your area like a Scavenger Hunt? I’m game if you are.
Recipe for Gumbo:
Prep Time: 1 hour Cook Time: 2 hours 40 mins Total Time: 3 hours 40 mins Servings: 20 Prep Time: 1 hour Cook Time: 2 hours 40 mins Total Time: 3 hours 40 mins Servings: 20
Step 1: Gather all ingredients. Step 2: Make the roux: Whisk together flour and 3/4 cup bacon drippings in a large, heavy saucepan over medium-low heat until smooth. Cook roux, whisking constantly, until it turns a rich mahogany brown color. This can take 20 to 30 minutes; watch heat carefully and whisk constantly or roux will burn. Remove from heat; continue whisking until mixture stops cooking. Step: 3 Make the gumbo: Place celery, onion, green bell pepper, and garlic into the work bowl of a food processor, and pulse until all vegetables are very finely chopped. Step 4: Stir vegetables into roux, and mix in sliced sausage. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until vegetables are tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside. Step 5: Combine water and beef bouillon cubes in a large Dutch oven or soup pot and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Stir until bouillon cubes dissolve, then whisk roux mixture into the boiling water. Step 6: Reduce heat to a simmer and mix in sugar, salt, hot pepper sauce, Cajun seasoning, bay leaves, thyme, stewed tomatoes, and tomato sauce. Simmer soup over low heat for 1 hour; mix in 2 teaspoons of file gumbo powder at the 45-minute mark. Step 7: Meanwhile, melt 2 tablespoons bacon drippings in a skillet over medium heat. Add okra and vinegar and cook for 15 minutes; remove okra with a slotted spoon, and stir into the simmering gumbo. Step 8: Mix in crabmeat, shrimp, and Worcestershire sauce, and simmer until flavors have blended, 45 more minutes. Stir in 2 more teaspoons of file gumbo powder just before serving.
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
