Louisiana Gumbo Gumbo is the official dish of Louisiana, but its inclusion in this book goes beyond that distinction. The dish uniquely symbolizes the state’s ethnic diversity. Gumbo can include virtually anything: seafood, chicken, mixed meats, rice or potatoes, and a variety of vegetables. It’s a melting pot of ingredients, a blend of flavors, a…
There is no city in the Western world more associated with occultism than New Orleans. It is the capital of voodoo, magic, and spirits. Voodoo arrived in Louisiana with the hundreds of thousands of slaves brought from West Africa. Strange traditions of this religion also seeped into New Orleans from Haiti. The first slaves arrived…
Hunters When I set out for Louisiana to gather material for my next book, I decided to spend some time in the swamps with someone who had spent most of his life there. My guide was Bruce Mitchell, known as the “Alligator Man” from the TV show Swamp People. “Alligator Man” is his marketing nickname.…
Life in the swamps is a choice, a state of mind, a lifestyle. There are people who work in the city but live in the swamps. They function in settlements consisting of a few, sometimes a dozen houses. All the families know each other. They form tight-knit communities. Visiting is done by boat, even if…