A roux is just the flour and fat you fry at the start – though as DSO says, in Norlins they do the browning for long enough to elicit a ‘sacre bleu’ from your average froggy.

But the ‘jus’ definitely refers to liquid from the last one, and ain’t no roux gonna cut it no matter how blackened.

My tip for avoiding the Gumbo Existential Reductio ad Absurdum would be to make your first one with a stock of ham hocks with prawn heads and shells. Simmer ham hock (maybe some onion ends and carrot and celery tops) for an hour, then chuck in prawn parts for another 15 mins.

I guess eat this first one alone or with non-judgemental friends, then proceed with confidence.

Perhaps if the Devil Drink pulled his cork out and retransubsantiationed himself here to lead a thread here about what really makes a good bar good…

Yah, though I’m pretty sure TDD’s a screw-top.

Good point Ms Smartypants. I shall return to Nawlins as soon as I can to seek an answer. Don’t wait up.

“if you have a proper roux.”

Aha! Some of my notes start to make bit more sense now. I thought they were just teasing me about roos at one point. But yes roux is probably what was really meant by my use of ‘jus’. Anyway it was never meant to be a proper recipe, more piratical ‘guidelines’.

“btw lagniappe means, loosely, a gift from your host, or a little something extra.”

I’m sure it does in many quarters. In Nawlins it appears to mean “get that in you and then we’ll get this party started.”

And happy to dilate at length on drinkin’ in Nawlins but not sure it’s worth a post in its own right. Perhaps if the Devil Drink pulled his cork out and retransubsantiationed himself here to lead a thread here about what really makes a good bar good…

btw lagniappe means, loosely, a gift from your host, or a little something extra.

Roux in Nawlins is an astounding thing which starts with butter and flour but ends with a black oily substance best stored in nuclear bunkers. Additions include file powder and other things that help along the heat Nabs suffered. Why anyone ever thought it was food is beyond me. Just one of the mysteries of Louisiana.

Funny, just now watching Bones [goes to New Orleans so we can include forensic stuff and voodoo tricks]. Gives much less a sense of the city than Nabs did.

As for the more profound question of The First Gumbo, I’m lost.

I did Nawlins in ’96. Highlight was when I was involved in a live performance of a Zimbabwean, Ghanian, Chinese, German and Australian all walk into a bar.