Editor’s Note: The Historic New Orleans Collection and The New Orleans Advocate present this occasional series looking back on the people, events and traditions that have shaped the Crescent City. The ...

Filé powder has been used by cooks in the Louisiana region for centuries. Filé is the ground leaf of the sassafras tree, Sassafras albidum, a member of the laurel family. Native to North America, the ...

(Editor's note: The following was taken from "The Picayune's Creole Cook Book," circa 1901 and content may be dated) First, it will be necessary to explain here, for the benefit of many, that "File" ...

As someone who binge-watched “Muscles & Mayhem: An Unauthorized Story of American Gladiators” on Netflix, I don’t shy away from the gauntlet. Recently, a reader threw one down. Granted, it had a ...

A mouthwatering bowl of gumbo is not just an iconic dish, but an invitation to learn about the foodways of Louisiana. Whether the gumbo you deem “authentic” is Creole or Cajun, thinner like at Dooky ...

French andouille sausage is a spicy smoked sausage popular in Cajun dishes like gumbo and jambalaya. Look for pork or chicken andouille, or use any type of sausage you like. Filé powder thickens and ...

Gumbo is an especially sacred dish in Louisiana cuisine, steeped in regional traditions and perfected over generations.