Not only is this Columbus Day or Indigenous People’s Day, depending on your point of view, but it’s also National Gumbo Day. To celebrate the occasion, Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser is having award-winning Monroe Chef Corey Bahr over at his house, and the two are spreading the word about one of Louisiana’s most famous dishes to the country. Bahr says there are countless ways to make gumbo.
“I’ve actually made it before with smoked rabbit and wild mushrooms, you name it. As long as it can sit still and you can put it in a gumbo pot, you can make a recipe,” Bahr said.
Bahr says the secret to making a great pot of gumbo goes far beyond following a recipe in a cookbook.
“What really makes gumbo special is all the cultures that came together to create this; from the West African spices and okra that go into it, to the European influences with the German sausage and things like that, Bahr explained.
Bahr says he and Nungesser are also using this day not only to promote one of Louisiana’s great dishes, but also to promote Louisiana itself.
“It’s about encouraging people to visit Louisiana to experience it for themselves; to see what makes our people, places and, obviously, our food so special,” Bahr noted.
