Roadfood with Misha Collins | Louisiana: Episode 10 | Gumbo

 All things Louisiana

We are checking out the Gumbo and all of your related questions will be answered!  The home of New Orleans, Mardi Gras and King cake, we dive into the great state of Louisiana to see what it is all about.

Resilience within the community

We discover the perfect person to talk to about Cajun culture, Jonathan Foret, who is the executive director of Southern Louisiana Wetlands Discovery Center. They talk about Hurricane Ida and how it is one like they have never seen before.  They discuss the idea of resilience and the theme that has pulsated through Roadfood.  He explains that people are clinging to traditions that make them feel a part of a community.

Hidden Heroes

The two of them venture to meet Reagan Creppel who is the executive director of The Helio Foundation and see some areas where the hurricane truly decimated the landscape.  She explains her foundation’s role in helping people all over the area to help get them back up on their feet.  

All the good food

Abear’s Cafe is a restaurant where if you do not get Cajun food often, you should get it here. This is the place to get it.  Especially the gumbo.  They discuss Cajun culture, eat the local flavor and eat bowls of incredible gumbo.  There is a fiery conversation of whether gumbo should have tomatoes or not. The answer they come up with is that it is up to the eater.

A trip to Louisiana would not be complete without a beignet.  Misha and his tour guide and historian in New Orleans, Bernard Pierce get at the powdered treat and discuss the culture of New Orleans. He discusses his experience of losing his home in the Upper 9th Ward of New Orleans and how being around during hurricane seasons too taxing on his mental health.  He talks about how the food, culture and experiences in Louisiana cannot be replicated.

The group hits Bywater Bakery for a dish that is considered a breakfast gumbo.  In this version, they add grits and eggs to make this dish sing as a  breakfast meal. They also create their own roux with “Roadrunner”, the chef at Luizza’s.  He explains the reason behind the tomato in Gumbo vs. no tomato in Gumbo controversy.