Steve, I've been using Autin's Gumbo Mix, a dry powder mix. You add chicken stock and onions and i think it makes an awesome gumbo, very clean and non-greasy. Does that make me a bad person?

Not at all. Just say 10000 hail marys and swear never to do it again.

Most restaurants use bases to make gumbo. It is good And makes it consistent.

I told a friend I had eaten some oysters today. He doesn't eat them. He asked me whether I chewed them or just swallowed them. I honestly don't know. I never thought about it. I just eat them.

I snort them !!

Just kidding but I did work with someone who could snort a small oyster up his nose and spit it out his mouth.

I saw him do it !!!

I chew them a little. It makes for releasing more flavor...it's like kissing the sea.

Nobody had ever asked him that. I went to Jolie Pearl Oyster bar downtown. I had never been there before but they have an open mic Sunday afternoons and I played a few songs. While waiting my turn I got a half dozen raw and 4 each of regular charbroiled and BBW charbroiled. Maybe I chewed the charbroiled a little but I won't know until the next time I eat oysters if I think about it.

I usually chew them once or twice, especially if they are on a cracker

no, ive done this a few times, some of them are awesome, you just have to find one that you like and roll with it. However, the first gumbo of the year is the friday after thanksgiving at my house, i dont do the gumbo mix until i get lazier in the year.

Oh now you've done it