630 Saint Peter St.
New Orleans LA, 70116
29.957351,-90.063965
When people, especially those from out of state, think of Louisiana cuisine, all that is mentioned is gumbo, gumbo and more gumbo! I cannot tell you how many times I have spoken with people from other states and they truly think that the only staple we have to live off of is gumbo. Although the concept doesn't sound so bad, we do have a much more in-depth menu to choose from. However, compared to many of the dishes I have been raised on, gumbo is quite tame. Growing up, I loved a good plate of greards (cow intestines), gog (stuffed pig's stomach) and boudin (stuffed pig intestines). Hey now, don't knock it until you try it!
To give you a crash course on gumbo, as if your life wasn't complete already, we must go back to the 1700's when New Orleans and the rest of the south was beginning to form. Let's face it, for the majority, if you were from the south during this time, as well as for many years to follow, you weren't quite the wealthiest people around. You had to find a way to survive no matter what shortcuts you had to take. With large households and no money, you had to find ways to stretch your food to assure it lasted. Ground chicory root was added to coffee and file', or ground sassafras, was added to stews, all in an attempt to feed more with less. Ever heard of the famous New Orleans' Po'Boys, or Poor Boys?
