I don’t believe I’ve ever had real seafood gumbo before. No offense to the wonderful folks at Zatarain’s who package this special mix of rice and various spices but I doubt it would be the same as an authentic gumbo. By authentic, I mean made from scratch where you’d have to chop the okra yourself, grind your own file from sassafras, and cook everything up according to tradition. You’d then ladle it all atop a bowl of rice and enjoy. It sounds extremely appetizing but a bit daunting so I haven’t even attempted it. I reiterate – I don’t believe I’ve ever had real seafood gumbo before.

For quite some time now, food has been more than a matter of nutrition. We describe food based on what they do for our psyche more than their nutritional value. Examples such as “comfort food” and “soul food” come to mind. We have revered “down-home” cooking as if it were magic, always in search of culinary creations that compare to what mom or grandma used to make. Food has become a mystical time machine that can make summer out of the coldest winters, or make fall out of spring. Even more powerfully, it takes us back to our childhood memories.

While I have many nostalgic childhood memories of my own, authentic seafood gumbo is not one of them. I did not grow up anywhere near where gumbo was made. The closest I’ve come were great batches of jambalaya at a couple of theme parks in Southern California. Until I have tried a bowl of authentic seafood gumbo, my memories remain my own, and my expectations of gumbo’s flavors continue to be based on other people’s stories.

I’ve found that while many people are obsessed with the spiritual and mental values of food, many are also obsessed with the spiritual and mental values of other people’s stories. Stories have a way of drawing parallels to our personal experiences, bringing back memories, and sometimes having the power to heal a human soul. Many have passed around various recollections, numerous e-mails about flowers, love, and spirituality crafted specifically to be pleasant and heartwarming. That’s just not authentic seafood gumbo, is it?

Seafood Gumbo for the Bartered Soul is a growing collection of somewhat fictional stories. As you read these stories, you may be able to draw parallels to your own memories, or perhaps not at all. Some of the stories may make you laugh. Some of the stories may make you cry. Some of the stories may infuriate you while some others may leave you with a sense of peace. Actually, I can’t really tell you what to expect. All I can guarantee is that the stories are dark, warm, and best enjoyed over a bowl of freshly cooked rice…just like authentic seafood gumbo.