The Bayou Moves to the Land of Cheese

Stage 1 of Operation Gumbo is on it's way. The luscious liquid simmers on the stove as I peck at the keyboard. In about 45 minutes I throw the chicken in and the last bout of simmering follows. It's quite a process. Nearly half an hour just to make the roux. But all cajun cooking begins with a roux with a generous amount of the Holy Trinity being next. (Holy Trinity = onion, celery, green peppa) When you're the cook you are obligated to taste all along the way. So I've sampled the vegetables while cutting them and the same for the sausage. And, before heading up here to write, I sampled the heady stew and I think it's gonna be good.

But since it won't be ready for over 2 hours, I found something to snack on - some vegetable crackers smeared with cream cheese and a dollop of jalapeno jelly. The jelly was made by my own hand last summer with peppers from our and a friend's garden. And, when I serve the gumbo, you can bet your sweet ass I'll be putting some of my homemade hot sauce in there. I don't know if any of you have vegetable/fruit gardens or not, but I find it immensely satisfying to grow things yourself and then to A) eat them while they're fresh and B) to can them and let them keep you warm during the winter. It's a rhythm, a cycle that most people here have bowed out of. If nothing else, there's a certain warmth in remembering those hazy days of summer when you picked the produce and canned it. I still have several quarts of tomatoes left as well. You know, I just love late summer. Going out to the gardens, picking tomatoes, and peppers and onions and cucumbers, etc. Then coming right home and whipping up a big batch of pico de gallo or some kind of salad. I made creamy cucumber salad a lot last summer. (I am a Pollack, after all.) And lots of tomato/cucumber salad. Cut up a load of tomatoes, onions, cukes, and some mild peppers. Throw them together with some fresh basil and fresh mozarella and then toss with a balsamic vinaigrette. Follow up with generous helping of chocolate ice cream topped with chocolate sauce. Oh mama! It's like a couple little dishes of heaven here on earth...