Product Description
PURPOSE
WHAT IS IT?
Who ever thought that a thickener would become so iconic in Cajun cuisine? Filé powder is the culinary term used for ground sassafras root.
The root, and leaves, of the Sassafras tree, were first used by the Choctaw Indians as a thickener. They were adopted by French Cajun cooking, and African Americans for Creole cooking.
The most poplar dish that features the filé flavor, and texture, is Gumbo from the American South, specifically Louisiana.
EXPERIENCE
The flavor profile of sassafras root the basis of Filé is similar to root beer. The aroma is woodsy, with rosemary-like notes. Filé powder is often used as a thickener, more than a flavor agent.
CULINARY GEOGRAPHY
Filé powder is used in both Louisiana Creole, and Cajun, cuisines. The sassafras plant is commonly found in open woods, along fences, or in fields. It’s native to eastern North America and eastern Asia.
TRADITIONAL USES
- Gumbo
- Soups and Stews
- Sauces
- Root beer
IMPROVISATIONAL ‘RIFFS’
THE BACKSTORY
The Choctaw Indians, native to the American South (Florida, Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana) were the first to use dried, ground sassafras leaves as a seasoning. Gumbo may have derived its name from the Choctaw word for filé (kombo).
Some culinary experts in the early 20th century, including Celestine Eustis, suggested that Filé powder was an early version of a special-occasion recipe for native tribes.
AKA
- Filé spice
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