Ever had one of those moments when a craving hits, and then someone just happens to mention the item you are craving, and then, miraculously, they are making just such a dish on your favorite cooking show? Well, I had just that yesterday, with gumbo.

I am half-Irish, half-English in heritage, but I love to cook and I think that nothing is more beautiful than how easily the boundaries of cultural food differences can be broken down. I’m sure that some home-grown Cajuns would think that people such as me have no right making the food that some swear can only be taught by grandma, but I wanted it and attempted it anyway.

So, I searched one of my favorite recipe sites and came across an ambiguous recipe that claimed just what I was looking for. The author had learned to make chicken and sausage gumbo from ‘maw-maw’ and swore that it wasn’t a dish you could make by recipe. So, she gave a tentative ingredient list and a very basic set of directions and said, ‘Good luck!’ And luck I had.

While I completely underestimated the amount of time it would take to make the roux a dark chocolate color, the wait was well worth it. I added shrimp and halved the chicken stock and added shrimp stock and invited several friends. As I am single, I love cooking for others, but often get made fun of for cooking so lavishly for only myself. I cook what I love! What can I say?

After dinner and many “Wow!’s” I was, yet again, astounded by how food can bring people together. The love and smell of good gumbo filled the room, and I’m sure that, with the muggy night, a little Zydeco music would have transported us straight to Louisiana.

See, a little vacation doesn’t have to cost more than a pot gumbo.