Gumbo

In his 1996 cookbook Louisiana Real and Rustic, Emeril Lagassee describes the iconic dish:

Lousisiana cooks… have learned to make do with whatever is at hand. The settlers brought a knowledge of French cooking with them. When they couldn’t find the ingredients they had in France, they used what was available… When the Acadians arrived and settled in south Louisiana, they used the wild game that was plentiful in the swamps and marshes for their stews. The [Native Americans] showed them how to use sassafras. Black slaves contributed okra from their native Africa. The Spanish introduced peppers. (pgs. 38-40)

Similarly, this section of my site is a simmering pot of hobbies, interests, and passions. Yes, one of those passions is gumbo.