Period Gumbo Soup

[G Low]

When I was in tech school I had a friend who lived not far from the campus. His grandmother lived in a small trailer behind his parents house. She was THE best Cajun cook I ever met. She was old heavy set and both knees were stiff. She used a big stick for a cane. Couldn't sit down but leaned against a tall stool. She made gumbo pr jumbalia every day using either chicken, pork, shrimp, andouille sausage and always had white rice. I once said y'all sure eat a lot of rice. She was quick to say "you no like a rice you no come round here". Any time my friend Ben would say anything smart she would hit him with that big stick. Ben said she owned land in Louisiana that raised rice and crawfish. And oil had been discovered under her land. They also said they were kin to Justin Wilson.

 

[13 IL Cav & 64 GA Inf]

When I was in tech school I had a friend who lived not far from the campus. His grandmother lived in a small trailer behind his parents house. She was THE best Cajun cook I ever met. She was old heavy set and both knees were stiff. She used a big stick for a cane. Couldn't sit down but leaned against a tall stool. She made gumbo pr jumbalia every day using either chicken, pork, shrimp, andouille sausage and always had white rice. I once said y'all sure eat a lot of rice. She was quick to say "you no like a rice you no come round here". Any time my friend Ben would say anything smart she would hit him with that big stick. Ben said she owned land in Louisiana that raised rice and crawfish. And oil had been discovered under her land. They also said they were kin to Justin Wilson.

I like rice, especially white rice, with almost any meal.

 

[Whitfield's Legion]

From "Housekeeping In Old Virginia", by Marion Cabell Tyree, 1877

Gumbo Soup

Fry two fowls, old or young, with parsley, pepper, salt, onion, lard or bacon.

Put it in the pot with water sufficient for the soup. One quart sliced okra, scrap of ham or fried sausage to boil with it.

Sassafras Gumbo is made in the same way, except after the fowl has boiled until the flesh has left the bone, just before taking off the fire, stir in one tablespoonful sassafras flour. Oysters are a great improvement to sassafras gumbo. Gather the sassa-fras leaves green, and dry in the shade, as sage; when thoroughly dry, rub through a sieve and bottle and cork tightly. It is nice in beef soup instead of okra.

I'm makin myself some of this!

 

[13 IL Cav & 64 GA Inf]

I'm makin myself some of this!

I would leave out the sassafras, but that is just a personal taste. Sounds GOOD.

 

[Albert Sailhorst]

I'm makin myself some of this!

Let us know how you like it!
Thanks!

 

[donna]

Another soup with Okra.