National Gumbo Day is Tuesday, and the weather forecast is predicting a high of 85F here in New Orleans for the day; I may have to turn the thermostat down and pretend it's cool enough to make a roux.

I've yet to meet a well-prepared gumbo I didn't like, which is why I enjoy acting as judge for the annual Got Gumbo? cookoff each fall here in New Orleans, benefitting the United Way. I grew up on seafood gumbo from along the Mississippi gulf coast, much different than the gumbo you'll find in southwestern Louisiana. I was served a bowl of smoked duck and andouille gumbo at Café Vermilionville in Lafayette not long after I moved back down here, and it really opened up my eyes; I'd never tasted anything like it, and I was hooked.

And, believe it or not, it's time to start thinking about your holiday gift list. Louisiana Kitchen & Culture makes a great, inexpensive gift for anyone on your list who enjoys good food; click here for gift subscriptions. Enjoy the recipes below, stay safe and healthy, and, as always, let me know what's on your mind. 

Best regards,

Susan Ford, Publisher and Editorial Director

Louisiana Kitchen & Culture

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In the Mail:

Turkey Bone Gumbo

File this one away as a solution for all the leftover turkey and carcass over the upcoming holidays. BONUS: It includes a link to the turkey stock I make the day before I roast a turkey. It's very good.

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Smoked Duck and Andouille Gumbo

I first had this dish at Café Vermilionville in Lafayette, not long after I moved back down here. If you don't have the wherewithal to smoke a duck yourself, you can probably find one at a specialty market, or splurge and order one online. You can use the same method with a smoked chicken, but it won't be the same. Good, but different.

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Leah Chase's Okra and Crab Gumbo

The photo shoot for this cover was one for the record books; a great Creole cook and a great Cajun cook, talking about gumbo for a few hours. The shoot took place the week after Easter, and Chef Chase traditionally served her Gumbo Z'herbs on Holy Thursday. I asked her how much gumbo she thought she'd cooked in her life and she laughed, "Honey, there's no telling. I cooked 70 gallons of gumbo last week alone." Here's her roux-less okra and crab version. 

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