By Nikolai Robinson
For a large portion of my childhood, I rarely saw my grandparents or any of my extended family. They were all in Texas, and we were in Kansas. So when my parents decided to finally return to their homeland, it was almost a culture shock in the beginning. My family is extremely southern, and I had grown up, well, northern. They all had accents, guns and conservative values, and we didn’t. But thanks to traditional southern hospitality and a cultural emphasis on family, they welcomed us back with open arms and delicious food, especially on my mom’s side of the family.
If you know anything about Kansas, you’ll probably know that it’s one of the least cultural or diverse states in the nation, which means it’s one of the blandest. So when we moved to Texas, I was first introduced to the glorious flavors of Whataburger, Texas barbecue and Cajun food. As we finally got to spend birthdays, Thanksgivings and Christmases with my mom’s family, I noticed that they particularly were influenced by one genre of food- Cajun. It was rare to not have a giant pot of gumbo waiting for us when we traveled to Nannie and Papaw’s (my grandparents) house in Orange, Texas for any special occasion.
Tom Gilcrease (“Papaw” to the grandkids) was born and raised in Negreet, Louisiana, and later moved to southern Texas. Dolores Gilcrease (“Nannie”) was born in Freeport, Texas to Cajun parents of Irish descent. They were both raised towards the latter half of the Great Depression, so they learned to be frugal and to save things that could be used again at a later date.
“My daddy always told me you can grow and raise enough resources at your own home, so that you wouldn’t even have to go to the store. That’s why Tom and I always had a garden,” says Nannie. Both of my grandparents are amazing cooks. Nannie attributes that to their parents and heritage.
For a large portion of my childhood, I rarely saw my grandparents or any of my extended family. They were all in Texas, and we were in Kansas. So when my parents decided to finally return to their homeland, it was almost a culture shock in the beginning. My family is extremely southern, and I had grown up, well, northern. They all had accents, guns and conservative values, and we didn’t. But thanks to traditional southern hospitality and a cultural emphasis on family, they welcomed us back with open arms and delicious food, especially on my mom’s side of the family.
If you know anything about Kansas, you’ll probably know that it’s one of the least cultural or diverse states in the nation, which means it’s one of the blandest. So when we moved to Texas, I was first introduced to the glorious flavors of Whataburger, Texas barbecue and Cajun food. As we finally got to spend birthdays, Thanksgivings and Christmases with my mom’s family, I noticed that they particularly were influenced by one genre of food- Cajun. It was rare to not have a giant pot of gumbo waiting for us when we traveled to Nannie and Papaw’s (my grandparents) house in Orange, Texas for any special occasion.
Tom Gilcrease (“Papaw” to the grandkids) was born and raised in Negreet, Louisiana, and later moved to southern Texas. Dolores Gilcrease (“Nannie”) was born in Freeport, Texas to Cajun parents of Irish descent. They were both raised towards the latter half of the Great Depression, so they learned to be frugal and to save things that could be used again at a later date.
“My daddy always told me you can grow and raise enough resources at your own home, so that you wouldn’t even have to go to the store. That’s why Tom and I always had a garden,” says Nannie. Both of my grandparents are amazing cooks. Nannie attributes that to their parents and heritage.
“My mother was such a great cook. When she’d visit her family in Louisiana maybe once a year, before she’d even get out of the car, they’d start making her a list of things they wanted her to cook for them,” she said with a laugh. “And Papaw had a Cajun uncle who would make gumbo with rooster in Port Arthur, and he would remember watching him make it on his uncle’s tugboat.”
A young Dolores’ mother passed her talents down as soon as possible. Nannie started cooking when she was a teenager, and hasn’t stopped since. Friends, family, neighbors and fellow church goers all regard Nannie and Papaw as two of the best cooks they’ve known. For the longest time, they maintained a huge garden full of fresh vegetables they’d give away for free to anyone who stopped by. Their generosity was unparalleled. Potato salad, spaghetti with marinara and meatballs, cakes, barbecues, salads, soups, chickens, turkeys, casseroles and, of course, their famous gumbo.
Like the best of America, gumbo was a result of several different clashing cultures, specifically in Louisiana a couple hundred years ago. There are many different types of gumbo that are made with varying ingredients, but gumbo is generally characterized by the French’s roux (flour and fat heated together) to thicken the soup, okra, vegetables and some type of meat or seafood. The word “gumbo” is said to have originated from the Bantu (Nigerian) word “ki ngombo”, meaning “okra.” The Cajuns of the 18th century Louisiana also used filé powder from Choctaw culture in their new concoctions, now a gumbo essential. The type Nannie and Papaw make have all these ingredients, and they’d usually make two five-gallon pots of it for every occasion, one with seafood and one with chicken and sausage for the people allergic to seafood. It’s usually served over white rice.
“You enjoy making your family happy by cooking something they like,” said Nannie. And now, making your family and friends gumbo has become such a staple in Gilcrease and Robinson tradition, that it’s almost a rite of passage to learn how to make it. My aunts and uncles, who learned from Nannie and Papaw, have passed it onto their kids. My parents know how to make it; in fact, the last time I had it was for Nannie’s 75th birthday on January 31st when my mom made it. I have yet to make it myself, but the day when I do will be one to remember.
People always say that they have one distinct smell that will immediately take them back to when they were younger. I think for me, that will be the smell of gumbo. Smelling the roux and Cajun spices will always remind me of the laughter and love shared among that side of the family. They always have been a funny and loving bunch, and now that gumbo will be a symbol of generosity, family and unconditional love as it is passed down from generation to generation.
Nannie still has the gumbo cookbook Papaw gave her in Galveston on their 25th wedding anniversary. They were happily married for another 16 years, until Papaw passed away in November of 2014. His love for family, food and culture lives on in this rich, personal tradition.
When I asked her for any advice on how to make the gumbo, she said, “Don’t put too much roux at one time, because you have to then dilute it with the water later. Cooking is always a learning experience, so you’re not always going to get it right, but as long as you try something new, it’s worth it.”
Chicken and Shrimp Creole Gumbo
1 bell pepper, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
3 ribs celery, chopped
¼ teaspoon minced garlic
10 cups cool water
1 cup instant roux Mix
2-3 lbs. chicken pieces and 1/2 lb. sliced smoked sausage
or
1 lb. shrimp and 1 lb. crab meat
Creole seasoning (Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning)
In a stockpot coated with cooking spray, sauté vegetables until they’re soft. In the same pot, prepare the roux mix. Add the remaining water. For chicken and sausage gumbo, add the meat, bring it to a boil, then reduce heat. Simmer until the chicken is tender. For seafood gumbo, bring roux mixture to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Add the shrimp and crab meat and return to a simmer for 15 minutes. Season gumbo to taste with Tony Chachere’s Original Creole Seasoning. Ladle gumbo over steamed rice and garnish with chopped green onions and filé. Produces 8-10 servings.