|
Home / Food and Drink
A Fine Kettle Of Fish!
By:Bob Alexander
Every year I take up my soup spoon, adjust my bib and continue my search for the best tasting seafood gumbo I can find. It's not an easy job, but I'm up to the task again this year. You can find it just about anywhere you can smell the salt in the air. My choice is the gulf coast from Alabama all the way to Texas.
I've tasted gumbo made with shrimp, (head on or head off) chicken, sausage, fish, scallops, clams, oysters and crab meat. Heads on shrimp give the gumbo a stronger and more flavorful taste. Added to these ingredients are vegetable such as onions, bell pepper, okra, parsley, celery, garlic and tomatoes.
In addition to all this, there are spices such as bay leaves, garlic, thyme, salt, ground black pepper, cayenne pepper, file' powder, Creole seasoning, chicken bouillon, Worcestershire Sauce, Old Bay Seasoning, Cavender's Greek Seasoning, Crab Boil and ketchup. Some chefs leave out the chicken and pork.
From what I've seen and sampled along the coast, I've discovered that there is no such thing as a standard gumbo recipe. Some sea side chefs make theirs with chicken. Others cooks would have to be threatened bodily harm to put a bird in their soup, using Scallops instead. On the New Orleans side of the coast, many put sausage in theirs, but not just any sausage. It seems that each chef uses a particular brand and wouldn't dream of using anything else!
If there is one thing that all gumbos have in common, it's that they all must have a roux. This pronounced roo and they all seem to be pretty much alike; made with flour and oil, vegetable shortening, lard or bacon drippings. Some say to cook the mixture until its copper colored and some like to see it a lighter shade. Whatever color, the roux' is the one staple in a perfect gumbo, giving it a texture. Without it the fish, scallops or shrimp would simply be swimming in hot water.
No two gumbos taste alike, even when its made by the same cook. While I was in Pensacola, Florida I found a seafood grill close to Orange Beach, Ala that had a wonderful spicy seafood gumbo that smelled so good your mouth began watering as you walked into the room. My nose wasn't wrong! The gumbo was out of this world. After a huge bowl I was stuffed! I left the place vowing to come back soon.
After fishing most of the next day, I had to make a trip back to the gumbo grill I had visited the day before. Knowing that anticipation is half the fun of most awaited events, I was anxiously awaiting lunch at the gumbo grill. The server came out of the kitchen with my bowl of gumbo and I didn't even wait for my stew to cool before I dug in with my spoon.
My taste buds are not dumb; they instantly knew that something was amiss! This was not the same taste as the day before! I immediately asked for the chef, whom I had met the day before and congratulated him on a wonderful dish, so he was waiting for more applause as he approached me.
"What happened?" I cried. "This is not the same taste as yesterday!"
"I made it the same way." he said somewhat defensively.
"Are you sure it's the same recipe?" I asked.
"What recipe?" he asked as he looked at me like I was nuts!
He assured that since he had been making seafood gumbo everyday for the last several years, he always made it the same way. He admitted he could have used a little more of this and a little less of that. Whatever it was, the gumbo wasn't the same.
He confided in me that this method of preparing seafood gumbo was the way most of the restaurants up and down the coast did it. He didn't know anyone who wrote down the recipe since most of the other cooks had been making the stew the same way for years. The gumbo wasn't the same as before but it was still good!
I have given up trying to make gumbo myself, because none of my tasted edible. If you want to try it yourself, search on the internet for seafood gumbo recipes. You'll find more than you could copy in a lifetime. Do as I do and just make it an important part of your next ocean side vacation and search for the perfect gumbo!
Digg
del.icio.us
Blink
Stumble
Spurl
Reddit
Netscape
Furl
Article keywords: gumbo, seafood gumbo, shrimp, fish, scallops, clams, oysters, crab meat, Orange Beach Alabama, Pensa
Article Source: http://www.articles2k.com
Bob Alexander is well experienced in outdoor cooking, holiday eating and leisure living. Bob is also the author and owner of this article. Visit his sites at:
http://www.bluemarlinbob.com
http://www.bobalexander.ws
|
|
| Top Food and Drink Articles |
- 1). Convection vs. Conventional Ovens... What's The Difference? By : Debbie Dragon
If you are in the market for a new oven and you’ve already begun shopping for one, you’ve probably noticed that there are a few different types. Two of the most popular oven types are conventional and convection, and many newer ovens have the option of cooking food in either fashion depending on the set mode. The difference in these two types of ovens is the way in which the heat in the oven is dispersed during the cooking process.
|
- 2). Fish Oil - It’s Health Benefits & Risks By : John H. Rogers
As the name implies, fish oil is oil that is removed from the tissues of oily fish and is often recommended as part of a healthy diet program. Many nutritionists recommend that individuals each fish at least once a week, but emphasis must be placed on the importance of avoiding fish that contain certain harmful contaminants. In avoiding predatory fish, such as sharks and others, individuals will prevent the consumption of unhealthy substances which can accumulate due to the fish’s predatory lifestyle.
|
|
|
- 4). Let's NOT Talk Turkey By : Kristin Johnson
The carving. The leftovers. The endless stuffing. Actually, you love the stuffing, cranberries and turkey trimmings. However, it's been se
|
|
|
- 6). Honey – Important Health Facts! By : Anita Morris
Honey is the most known apicultural product, it is a substance that the bees produce through a complicated process of elaboration, where they absorb the nectar and deposit it in their stomach, then go back to the beehive to deliver it, throwing up repeated times; this way ferments, acid and albumen are added to the nectar. It contains most of the essential mineral elements that our system needs.
|
- 7). Homemade Ice Cream - Easier Than You think! By : Scott Byers
If you are looking for some great fun and a delicious treat any time of year, you will want to know about making homemade ice cream. This is a fun thing to do alone or with someone else. No matter what you are doing or what the temperature is outside, you will want to have some homemade ice cream for a great snack or treat. You will love making it along with eating it as well.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| New Food and Drink Articles |
- 1). Do Aphrodisiac Foods Exist By : Kadence Buchanan
Many of us have heard that sea-food excite the human senses or that walnuts and honey are the best aphrodisiac. But do certain types of food affect the human erotic impulse?
|
|
|
|
|
- 4). How To Eat Good Quality Food While Traveling By : Gregg Hall
When you are traveling whether on the road or airport hopping finding good food to eat at a reasonable price is an important consideration. When you are traveling eating out at fancy restaurants can take you over your budget in a hurry.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
- 9). Cooking Tips For Outdoor Chefs By : Bob Alexander
Tips on how to light charcoal for barbeque cookouts and live to tell about it! Safety tips for the novice and experienced griller both. Delicious cooking ideas for smoking meats.
|
- 10). Fish Oil - It’s Health Benefits & Risks By : John H. Rogers
As the name implies, fish oil is oil that is removed from the tissues of oily fish and is often recommended as part of a healthy diet program. Many nutritionists recommend that individuals each fish at least once a week, but emphasis must be placed on the importance of avoiding fish that contain certain harmful contaminants. In avoiding predatory fish, such as sharks and others, individuals will prevent the consumption of unhealthy substances which can accumulate due to the fish’s predatory lifestyle.
|
|
|
