Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Going gumbo

I LOVE Southern food. I love Natchitoches meat pies, I love crawfish (the spicy kind that makes your nose run and your lips burn), I love jambayala, I love catfish, I love king cake, I love hush puppies -- I love it all!! There's a reason I was born and raised in the South, and it's all 'cause of the food!

However, while I am a born-and-raised Louisianian, I have never made gumbo. Shocking, isn't it? Luckily, amazing BFF and super-duper cook, Misti, was more than willing to help me remedy this problem.

So, ladies and gentlemen, Misti and I made gumbo last night.



Don't be taken aback by the potato salad (I actually stole the pic from Misti); I'm running by after work to grab some and try it with my leftover gumbo. Apparently, gumbo's excellent with rice OR potato salad. Keep that in mind.

And, as I've already mentioned my love for Southern food, I decided to mention a few other favs of Louisiana:

1. Mardi Gras -- I've actually never been to the New Orleans Mardi Gras festivities, but I do highly appreciate those two days off of work!

2. Swamp land -- Seriously, guys, it's gorgeous in South Louisiana. Browse some of Misti's photography. She knows how to take some great shots of our state.

3. Y'all -- Who says "you all" anyway?

4. New Orleans -- I can't get enough of that place. Not only do we have family and friends down there, but there's the New Orleans aquariaum, the zoo, and, of course, it was the place where Superman and I planned to live after marriage. So, yeah, there's some good memories there.

5. Steel Magnolias -- I actually lived in Natchitoches around the time this was being filmed. One of my classmates was in the wedding scene. Can't remember what he did during that scene, but I do remember that he was in it.

6. Parishes -- I like being different, and I like the fact that we have parishes instead of counties. And that we use a different legal system than everyone else. We should be our own country! ;)

7. Those French-Cajun words I can't pronounce because I took Spanish, but here are some I can pronounce with ease (haha!): Thibodeaux, Boudreaux, Ouachita, Lafourche, etc.

8. Sweet tea. Can't get that up north.

9. Johnny's Pizza. If you've never had it, you are missing the BEST PIZZA IN THE WORLD. I actually had a student from Missouri tell me yesterday that the reason she came to school in Louisiana was because of Johnny's Pizza.

10. Bobby Jinal (haha!). Even though he has cut the budget for higher ed. Boo.

What am I leaving out? And what do you love about your home state?

12 comments:

Brooke said...

potato salad...really?

and i love that the Great Smoky Mtns National Park is just minutes away.

not to mention free day at Dolly's Splash Country - nothing cures self esteem issues like seeing the entire county in their swimwear!

Penny said...

Yep. Misti said it's a South Louisiana tradition, and I'm going to give it a shot. =)

misti said...

I think you were raised in the wrong part of the state! Haha you are awesome!

misti said...

Oh and we should definitely go to LC's mardi gras!! It's a fun, much milder version of mardi gras. You would love it.

CR said...

Peaches here in Georgia but I was born in Florida and love the beach!

Rach@In His Hands said...

Gumbo! I've never made it OR had it. I guess I really need to!

This WI girl loves cheese and brats! Good stuff.

Beth@playinwiththepaulsens! said...

now, I am ready to move to LA!

Anonymous said...

I have never been to Louisiana. I do love the Southern traditions though. Makes it feel so homey! You have a lot to be blessed with living where you do!

I had gumbo once...but no one told me it was shrimp gumbo and I ended up really SICK! So...gumbo isn't something I'm ready to try again anytime soon! But yours does look yummy!

Sherry said...

Potato salad and gumbo . . YES! I put a little rice, gumbo and P. salad.

South Louisiana is not just a different culture, it's a wonderful experience! There's so much to do and so many things to see. We lived there for over 20 years before moving back to Oklahoma.

Oklahoma . . . Indian and western heritage -- not as much to see and do. The weather gets extreme. The nights are wonderful here. Mosquitoes aren't a real problem -- you can actually enjoy the outdoors at night! OK is my home state and it's really . . OK! :)

Now I'm going to have to go make some gumbo -- it's cold outside!

Anonymous said...

OK, first of all...

HOW DARE YOU RUIN THAT GUMBO WITH POTATO SALAD?????

There, I'm all better now.

Actually now that I live "down South" I miss north Louisiana. A LOT. But not Shreveport. You know where I'm talking about. :)

Sara@iSass said...

For the record, people in MN make fun of me cause I like saying y'all instead of you all or all of you. Eck. IT'S Y'ALL y'all!
I get the
"What are you from Louisiana or something?" Knowing full well I was born and raised in hickville MN Where people are refered to as "rubes". Don't get me started. I would love to visit and be able to "speak" Louisianain Just like I enjoyed living in Boston and speaking Bostoian. Love it. I'm not much for spicy food, drippy noses did you say? Huh, not so sure about that. I AM excited because Rachel at Musing is sending me a King cake. Now THAT I can dig. It is so fun hearing about your home. You want to come up here and see what MN can do to a drippy nose? It'll make isicles outta your snot! SERIOUS.

Unknown said...

I've only lived in one other state, but there's seriously no where in the world like Louisiana ... well, Southern Louisiana. I love it! I hated living here when I was younger, but as I've grown older realize how much culture we have and need to appreciate.

Love me some gumbo!