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Louisiana Kitchen & Culture | published in New Orleans, Louisiana published in New Orleans, Louisiana Facebook Twitter Newsletters Enter your keywords Menu Home Subscribe Order Magazine Subscription Get Collectors Set Order Trial Subscription Renew your subscription Change of Address Order Past Issues Newsletter Archive eMail Newsletter Subscription Recipe Collections Louisiana Recipes Finder Sensational Salads Seafood Gumbo: Leah Chase and John Folse Louisiana Seafood Boil Favorite Holiday Recipes Leftover Turkey Recipes Holiday Party Recipes Louisiana Style Tailgating Recipes Holliday Desserts & Cookies Leah Chase: Louisiana Icon Events Calendar Louisiana Festivals & Events Louisiana Mardi Gras Parade Schedule Louisiana Visitors Information Louisiana Farmers Markets New Orleans Restaurants Cooking Demos Browse Videos All Photo Galleries Kitchen Tips See List of Tips Susan’s Turkey Tips Turkey Basics - Thawing Turkey Basics - Safe Stuffing Turkey Basics - Safe Cooking Turkey Basics - How to Carve Turkey Basics - Storing Leftover Turkey Left over Turkey Recipes More Ways to Cook Turkey The Nutrition Facts Label About Herbs and Spices Tables of Weights Measures and Equivalents Apples Varieties For All Occasions Crawfish Distributers Contact UsAdvertise With Us Link To Us User Login/out Collectors Set Free Recipes by email Email Name State Every week you’ll receive new recipes. See archive New Recipes Southwest Okie Catfish - Main Course Louisiana Crawfish Pie - Main Course See all new recipes past 2 weeks Kitchen Tips What’s a Roux Roux, a mixture of flour and oil or drippings browned slowly over medium heat until the desired color is achieved. A basic component in many cuisines. A starter for many Cajun and Creole dishes, such as gumbo, oyster stew, crawfish bisque, turtle soup, grillades etc. The roux contributes color,... Capsicum; Columbus Discovered Hot Peppers The first written reference to capsicum pepper was made in 1493 by Dr. Chauca, the physician on Columbus’s voyage. Dr. Chaua reported that the native islanders used a spice they called "agi" made from thse peppers. A capsicum pepper’s "personality" is determined by an alkaloid called capsaicin, an... Louisiana Crawfish The famous mudbugs of Louisiana, crawfish (des ecrevisses) are in season for about six months of the year, December to June. The rest of the time they burrow six or more feet under the damp soil of the Louisiana wetlands. These tiny crustacians weigh only an ounce or so and their tails are... Okra - the Origination of the Term Gumbo Okra is a member of the hibiscus family and not found in most parts of the country. A vegetable long prized in Africa called ngombo in Angola and nkruma in Ghana, was originally called gombo - now taken to mean okra-thickened soup. In Louisiana, fresh,tender okra with great earthy flavor is... Jambalaya The word derives from jambon, the French word for ham and alaya which means rice in an African dialect. It is a wonderful conglomeration of flavors provided by sausages, chicken, ham and seafoods. A Louisiana tradition, favored by Cajuns and Creoles. The rice it is normally cooked with absorbs... Creole or Cajun The Creoles of South Louisiana are generally considered the white descendents of the French and Spanish settlers of the colonial period who lived mostly in New Orleans and along the Mississippi. The Cajuns - Acadians of Louisiana, are descendents of the six thousand French who were expelled... What is Filé It is actually dried and ground young sassafras leaves, used by the Choctaw Indians. Filé means "to make threads" and that is what it does when added at the beginning of the cooking process. Often used to thicken Gumbo. It should not boil. Hot Peppers Combat Common Cold Eating fiery foods can actually relieve congestion in the nose, sinuses, and lungs. Dr. Irwin Ziment, Professor of Medicine at UCLA, recommends a glass of tomato juice laced with 10 to 20 drops of Tabasco or other favorite equally hot sauce. Taken two or three times daily, it makes an excellent... Cauliflower A member of the cabbage family and cousin to mustard green. It is the sulfur content it has in common with mustards that give it the pungent smell when cooking. The longer it cooks the stronger these flavors become.Look for forets that are creamy whit and feel somewhat heavy for size. A... Beef Brisket A brisket is a cut of beef that contains a large amount of connective tissue that can be tough and chewy if not cooked well. Long and slow cooking works best for any recipe calling for beef brisket. Coriander and Cilantro Come From Same Plant Cilantro is the fresh leafy herb and coriander is the dried seeds of the plant. Satsumas These are tangerine-like citrus fruits that grow in southern Louisiana and are harvested in early November. They were brought to the Unitied States from Japan in mid-1800s Dry Mustard Has Little Aroma? Due to an enzyme that is only activated when in contact with liquid, the pungent bite of mustard is fully released only when liquid is added to the dry mustard. Pecans Pecan trees are a variety of hickory. They along with walnuts are among the nuts with the highest oil and unsaturated fatty acid contents. High oil content generally means fragile texture or easily bruised which increases the rate of staling or oxidation. Roasting will increase the rate too so best... World’s First Ice Maker Was produced in New Orleans in 1865.Before that ice was harvested and brought down from the Great Lakes and stored in underground ice houses insulated with straw or sawdust. Strawberry Facts Strawberries have their seeds on the outside. Strawberries do not ripen any more after they are picked. Only wash strawberries right before eating. Damp strawberries will mold in refrigerator. Cloves are Latin for nail Named after their shape. They are the dried flower buds from a tall tropical evergreen. Cloves should be used sparingly.Oil of clove is traditionally used to numb toothaches. Allspice Is A Berry This dried berry comes from a tropical evergreen tree. The wood from this tree is used to make walking sticks and traditionally was carved with totems and faces. This practice was carried over into New Orleans. Granny Smith Apples Originated in New South Wales, Australia on the farm of Maria Ann Smith about 1860. To produce true descendents, apple trees are grown from a rooted branch. Every Granny Smith apple in the world can be traced back to those original trees. Shrimp Are Sold by the Count This number is the approximate number of shrimp in a pound. The smaller the number the larger the shrimp. So if you see a recipe calling for 20 count, or U-20, then you’ll know they are somewhat small shrimp i.e. 20 shrimp makes a pound. Mace Is the finely ground (powder) of the thin rust-colored veins that encase the nutmeg seed. Lagniappe This is an old Creole word (pronounced lah-nyahp) for something extra. The 13th oyster you get when you order a dozen is lagniappe. Chili Powder This familiar powder found in most groceries by now is a blend of several spices and dried chilies. Ancho chili powder is made from the dried Poblano chili. The powder is a deep purple to reddish black. You Can Freeze Apples! Here’s how. Warm 1 cup of water and stir in 1/4 cup salt until dissolved. Add about 1 gallon of cold water. Peel and slice 5 lbs of apples (skin may be left on). Place each slice in salt water as you go along. When finished give the water a stir, drain your apples in collander. Immediately place... Sweet Potato Facts and Tips Pick the best of the bin. Look for smooth, dry, clean and plump skin. Find one with deep orange color. In your hand it should feel heavy. Never refrigerate as that can affect the flavor. Store in a dark, well ventilated place at 55 - 60 F. Only rinse just before use. Only refrigerate after cooking... Brussels Sprouts Facts These little cabbages got their name from being cultivated near the Belgian capital (Brussels) as early as the 1500’s. Brussels...