On Gumbo

The murky depths of a steaming pot of stew universally entice the hungry diner. Part of the allure for is the mystery of the pot, a riddle of ingredients that neither sight nor smell can solve. The path to understanding requires a spoon, for only taste can begin to unravel this tale. Perhaps gumbo best exemplifies this mystery of the pot, for it is a dish with impenetrable complexity and hearty strength. It pulls the willing diner somewhere past the exotic to a sublime balance of nature combining elements of land, sea, and spice. Ingredients work in unidentifiable harmony; a second spoonful is required.