In eighth grade, I discovered this wonderful thing called crawfish; the rest is gumbo history. SPICY BEGINNINGS FAMILY, FLAVOR, AND THE MAGIC OF CAJUN COOKING Growing up in Southeast Texas, I was exposed to some of the best Cajun food Texas has to offer. When I discovered this spicy, favorable cuisine as a young person, I had no idea it would spark a lifelong passion for cooking gumbo.
NAMES THAT ALMOST WERE The Bizarre and Creative Titles That Nearly Defined Our States
As kids, we would always play with crawfish out in the backyard when it was extra rainy, but I didn’t know people actually ate them until I was older. In eighth
grade, I went to a crawfish festival, and they had the most extensive variety of crawfish dishes I had ever seen. That day, I fell in love with Cajun cooking.
One of the first things you likely learned was the name of your home state, but what if everything you knew about your state’s namesake could have been different? Prepare for a journey through the quirky and bizarre world of almost-names for states! The early days of American statehood were filled with creative, peculiar, and downright odd suggestions. Let’s look into history and uncover the surprising stories behind the names that could have been. Kentucky Kentucky’s famous horse race was almost known as the Transylvania Derby, but it has nothing to do with vampires. In 1775, a businessman named Richard Henderson established the Transylvania Company and signed a treaty with the Cherokee tribe, securing land known as the Transylvania colony. However, Henderson’s treaty failed as Virginia had already claimed the land. Years later, in 1792, those living on Henderson’s attempted purchase broke away from Virginia to become Kentucky. Despite naming the state themselves, the residents couldn’t decide whether the state’s new name meant “prairie,” “land of tomorrow,” or “river of blood.” Utah When Brigham Young, the leader of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (widely known as the Mormon church), moved the congregation west, they settled in the Salt Lake Basin. He petitioned Congress to create a new state for them and settled on Deseret, after a name in the Book of Mormon, one of their scriptural texts. The government declined the request until 1896, granting them statehood in a smaller area than they had originally hoped for. They still didn’t get their desired name, though; the government named the state Utah after the Ute tribe that called the area home. Nevada The name Humboldt almost became the name of the state of Nevada. It comes from explorer and naturalist Alexander von Humboldt, who helped popularize scientific exploration. Though he traveled thousands of miles across Central and South America, he never made it to the Western United States. So, when Nevada became a state in 1864, they used the Spanish word for “snow-covered” instead. History is full of “what ifs” and whimsical alternatives that could have shaped our country. These almost-names remind us of the rich tapestry of the past and the imagination that defines our nation.
My stepmom, Nancy, is from Louisiana. When I was a
freshman in high school, she came into our lives with an encyclopedia of Cajun food in her head. I loved her gumbo and always looked forward to it. Once I went to college, I wanted to be able to cook something unique, something people had probably never tasted before, and gumbo was it!
Whenever I make gumbo now, people tell me it’s the best they’ve ever had. Half of them are sincere, and the other half are just being polite, but it’s the proper thing to say when someone’s prepared gumbo. (Gumbo takes a lot of hard work and is a huge labor of love, but the end result is always worth it!) Traditional gumbo variations, like seafood or chicken and sausage, are delicious. The “Holy Trinity” of Cajun cooking — onions, bell peppers, and celery — gives this dish its deep, savory flavor. I typically enjoy making a chicken and sausage gumbo (or turkey and sausage for Thanksgiving) since some family members are allergic to shellfish. The beauty of gumbo is that it is so versatile, and each pot tells a story. Don’t be intimidated by crafting the perfect roux, a mix of flour and fat that thickens this soup. You can easily make this essential element of gumbo by using the Louisiana Fish Fry Company’s Gumbo Base, which you can find in most grocery stores. So, whether you’re gathering for a holiday feast or a cozy meal at home, there’s nothing quite like a bowl of gumbo to warm the heart and soul.
– Michael Packard
2 PACKARDFIRM.COM
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