Dave W wrote:
> BTW, I know a lot of people use either okra or file powder but not
> both. I don't understand that. I've always considered okra necessary
> and I also put file powder on the table and let people use it if they
> want. Seems most use it, even my card-carrying cajun friends.

When I was reading up on Gumbos, before resorting to rec.food.cooking for
the REAL info, it said that Okra was the original glutinous agent (africans
also use it, and it is popular in the middle east and India). The use of
file powder they claimed was Cherokee.
I'm still going to get some though as I've never seen it in Australia and
Smith's here has it. I believe it is from the Sassafras tree.

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