This past weekend was the 28th annual World Championship Gumbo Cookoff in New Iberia. Every year during the second weekend of October, Main Street is shut down and groups gather to cook their best gumbo for hundreds or thousands of hungry tasters.
Seventeen years ago when our three girls were young, the family decided to have a booth. Jeff’s siblings and their families came to town, and together we cooked and served the first ever Simon Family Gumbo. My daughters have been nostalgic about that event and have talked about having another Simon Family Gumbo booth. So this was the year.
Jeff and our oldest daughter Maggie were in charge. For months, Jeff has worked weekends on building a facade of our house, the Big White Castle. Son-in-law Grant designed a logo using our family Christmas frog as a model and adding a chef’s hat and a superman cape. (The theme for this year’s event was super heroes.)
When the weekend arrived, Jeff headed to Cosco for roasted chickens, a dozen of them. Maggie and Grant arrived with sausage to cook in the cast iron pot to fully season it. The day Saturday was spent chopping loads of onions, celery, and bell pepper. What joy to have all hands chopping while everyone visited together! Jeff and Grant worked on the stock outside on the burner. I wish I could have captured the smell along with the photos.
Saturday night was early to bed because the alarms went off at 4:45 AM on Sunday. The cooking crew had to get downtown to set up and start the roux. At 6 AM, the gumbo police announced, “Start your burners,” and the town began to smell of flour and oil slowly cooking into 75+ gravies. If you ask anyone who knows anything about cooking a gumbo, they will tell you the secret is in the roux. For our team it was touch and go and tag-teaming for about an hour and a half before the roux was the just-right color of chocolate to satisfy head chef, Maggie.
Once the roux was done, it was added to the stock along with vegetables, sausage, and chicken. The stew cooked for a few more hours before a sample was sent to the judges. Then people arrived with tickets in hand to try out as many samples as their stomachs would hold. Unfortunately, the crowd was lighter than in previous years due to the extreme heat. No one really craves gumbo when the temperature climbs over 90 degrees. The heat really wore us all down, but we powered through.
I celebrate my amazing family. My girls and their significant others get along so well with each other. At the end of the weekend, Jeff said, “I think they could do anything.” This was a huge undertaking, and I was proud of our tasty gumbo even though we didn’t place in the competition. In our hearts, we knew Simon Family Gumbo was the best!
Love how you captured the JOY, the work, and the sights. I had no idea of the importance until I read “28th annual World Championship Gumbo Cookoff” and saw the shirts. If it’s important enough for shirts, it’s a BIG deal! Wonderful slice and I can smell that gumbo!
Wow! What a wonderful event. I love the castle booth but mostly the whole family commitment to the tradition.
This is one of the happiest stories I’ve read in a long time, and more so because it’s real. What a terrific idea to get the family involved in a project in which you can each contribute your particular strengths and talents. Not to mention one that results in some really good grub! You may not have won any chili awards, but you won my heart and I’m sure anyone else’s who reads your post today!
Oh, I wish I could have dropped by for a sample. I can almost smell it! And the fun of doing this together as a family is the best. Love the superhero chef frog and the castle booth!
I love this post and how it showcases your family. What a fun thing for you all to do together–I’m sure the memories are priceless! There’s so much to celebrate here!
I love this story and the tradition and the fact that your kids claim this heritage. I know it was hot and a lot of work….but what a great family an what a great story. Now, how do I get some of that gumbo? Do you ship to VA?
What a great day for the Simon family!
What a great story and post, Margaret. I loved the idea of a family creating together. I bet that gumbo was filled with flavor as well as love.
What a beautiful way to spend time together as a family! Love this!
I just love your family castle! This was a beautiful story, Margaret. I hope you save it to share with generations to come. (I sure could have used some of that gumbo on Saturday in Minnesota!)
Oh, Margaret! What an amazing story! Such a sweet family memory!