About

With a father from Tennessee and a mother from Louisiana good food was always on our table.  From ribs, shrimp po’ boys, gumbo, stuffed peppers and the best lemon ice box pie, to my favorite which is rice and gravy, I couldn’t get enough.  I didn’t always know how to cook but I love good food – comfort food.  I practiced making roux for years, starting off easy with just gumbo yaya.  Yaya means chicken and is the easiest dish to learn to make a roux.  From there I move to the red beans and rice.  I never cooked my bean long enough and my kids suffered as I learned.  I know the exact day when it changed for me.  I was in Memphis with my father’s side of the family and I woke up with my aunt at about 5 a.m. to start Thanksgiving dinner.  She was going to teach me all my grandmother’s recipes.  I was ready, I had pen and paper trying to keep up.  Finally I said, “how much butter you put in there!!”  She said, “I don’t measure, I cook from my heart because I love you.”  From that day forward I begin to cook from my heart.  That means, not rushing, not measuring just taking your time and tasting until it is right.  It worked and now and I am ready to share my heart with all of you.  It is comfort food, just like my parents made it.  Welcome to The Gumbo Hut.