![]() ![]() In the 1840s, when okra was just starting to be grown widely outside the coastal South, newspaper ads commonly offered seeds for 'Okra or Gombo.' 'Gombo' is still the French word for okra today.” Early on, the word was frequently used alongside 'okra' by English writers. “ In several West African languages, the word for okra is ki ngombo, or, in its shortened form, gombo. According to Robert Moss in his article for Serious Eats titled “ The Real Story of Gumbo, Okra, and Filé ,” the pod isn’t just responsible for the dish’s consistency, it’s responsible for the name: Though its exact place of origin is disputed, it is believed to have been brought to the Caribbean and U.S. ![]() Okra is a flowering plant of the mallow family with green edible seed pods. Much time could be spent discussing the geographical and cultural origins of this dish and its thickeners – even the origin of the name “gumbo” is still debated – but we are (of course) going to focus on how, from a chemical perspective, each of these agents increases the viscosity of this Louisiana staple. Some recipes only call for one, some for two, some all three, and there are as many ways to make gumbo as there are gumbo cooks. Each has a different origin, and each thickens in a different manner. When making gumbo, one has three different thickeners at their disposal: roux, filé powder, and okra. These ties are most apparent in the thickening agents. Perhaps better than any other single dish, gumbo highlights the intersectionality of southern food with clear ties to African, Native American, and European cultures. It is usually served over rice.īesides being absolutely delicious, it’s an interesting study in southern cuisine. No two bowls are the same, though it is commonly agreed upon that there should be (at the very least) a flavorful and aromatic stock, some sort of protein (usually meat or seafood, no pork unless it’s cured), seasonal vegetables (most commonly onions, bell peppers, and celery), and some sort of thickening agent. Louisiana’s state dish is uniquely its own thing, somewhere between a soup and stew without being either one. There is no right way to make gumbo, but there are definitely many wrong ways to make gumbo. Twice a month, Claire will take a scientific concept (such as the acid-base reactions in baking, macerating, or Maillard browning), explain it in a way that would make Bill Nye proud (hopefully), and then provide an edible experiment which allows you to demonstrate your new scientific food knowledge. Theories and reactions will be discussed and experiments will be performed it’s like your high school chemistry class, only edible. ![]() Welcome to Savor the Science! In each Savor the Science, RENDER ’s resident chemist, Claire Lower, will explore culinary questions through a scientific lens, perfecting recipes and demystifying techniques. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |