I love eating my way across the U.S.! Our country is so large that every region has its own unique flavor - none more unique than the Cajun country of New Orleans, Louisiana! I love the bold, spicy flavors that are brought together in gumbos, etouffees, bread puddings, etc. And I'm a big fan of beignets and chicory coffee. Being as Southern as I am, the food that I am drawn to will always be packed with excitement. The food of New Orleans is the culinary mirror of the diversity of the city itself.
When most of us think of New Orleans, though, the main thing that comes to mind is Mardi Gras. Drunken parades, blaring zydeco music, voodoo shops and Bourbon Street. What began as such a beautiful European settlement has become a hotbed of taboo tolerance, and the result is hard to behold. I'm sure that partygoers would disagree with me, but I feel such an in depth sadness when we walk through the streets of New Orleans.
I have seen many people who are like that city. They began as beautiful and vibrant children with great promise, only to morph into spiritually crippled adults who are depressed and unable to accomplish their dreams. BUT I have seen so many find their redemption in the saving grace of Jesus Christ. Once, a man told me that he knew for a fact that Jesus wouldn't want to have anything to do with a sinner like him. I was shocked at this statement. Why else did Jesus come? Did He not come to seek and to save each of us when we were still lost and in sin?
Lives that are a broken mess are the perfect setup for the miraculous! People who feel like there is no hope for them are in the perfect place for a Savior to meet them. I know that in my life, when I reach a point where I cannot solve the problems of life, that is when I finally quit trying. That is when I let go of the control of my own situation and allow the Lord to step in and take over. And when a sinner comes to that place of relinquishment, this is when true restoration occurs.
Since Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans, much clean up has occurred. Many have come in and purchased the old beloved mansions and spent fortunes bringing them back to their former glory. A beautiful transformation is taking place in the city. The New Orleans restaurants that have raised the bar across the nation are back in business, and the gumbo is bubbling! Much is left to do, yet, but the restoration has begun.
If you think about it, say a prayer for the people of New Orleans, and then get up off the sofa and make a pot of gumbo!
Menu suggestion: Gumbo and French bread, of course! You really need to look this one up online! A fabulous gumbo begins with a slow-cooked roux. All you need for your roux is a little fat, a little flour and a lot of time. Look it up and begin your own down South tradition! Bon appetit!
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