Episode 1: Chicken & Sausage Gumbo
I went to my first Heliopolis meeting in late August of this year. Afterwards, some of us decided to grab dinner at Abby Singer’s Bistro inside The Robinson Film Center. We grabbed a table on the balcony and, despite its being above 85 degrees, I ordered a bowl of soup as an appetizer telling our waitress, “I don’t care what it is. The soup is always good here.” I noticed a few of the others with whom I was sitting were amused by my weird statement, so I explained that I A) really love soup and B) the soups at Abby Singer’s are always delicious.
Being the creative types the others are, the idea for Toups on Soups was born. The idea was that I’d go around town tasting soups and giving my comments, critiques, and reviews. I have very little formal culinary training, but I do know my way around a kitchen, so I told the others I was game, never thinking this idea would come to fruition, but little did I know that what started as something of a joke became An Actual Thing.
Fast forward from that August day to last week. Casey Habich, Garrett Johnson, and I again got together at Abby Singer’s – it was only right to do the first review there – to taste their gumbo. I’ve had plenty of soups there, but never their chicken and sausage gumbo, a staple on the menu. If I’m honest, I’d avoided it because I’m somewhat leery of gumbos in restaurants outside ‘Cajun Country.’ Call me quixotic- I know we’re all the same state, but whatever, we all have our hang-ups.
When the bowl was brought out to me, immediately the gumbo smelled delicious. Too often when gumbo sits, there’s a thin layer of oil that forms at the top from the roux-making process* (where the oil will separate and find its way to the top). Because we were filming video for the website, the gumbo sat for a few minutes; I was very pleased to see no oil separation. (This is a big deal to me as it usually means an upset stomach later.) Before I even got to try it, I knew things were going to go well. So many gumbos in restaurants are a pale color. Abby Singer’s gumbo was perfect – perfectly brown, slightly smoky, and lots of meat.
Full disclosure, I’m writing this column over a week later. Conjuring up the scents and flavors is making me want to find time tonight to grab a bowl. Their gumbo is really just that good.
*Roux forms the basis of a gumbo. It’s oil and flour stirred constantly over high heat until it reaches a color and consistency similar to peanut butter. From there, the chopped vegetables—celery, parsley, garlic, onions, and bell peppers—are added, stirred until browned, and then covered in broth.
We’re going to make Toups on Soups a running thing, so please feel free to email with suggestions of where you think we should head next.
And finally, be sure to view the accompanying video, below and don’t forget to check out the Heliopolis SBC page on YouTube!