Join TWO Louisiana natives-Suzy Fleming Leonard (retired food and dining editor at FLORIDA TODAY) and Ann Maloney (former recipes editor at The Washington Post in D.C) for a fragrant evening recreating the official dish of Louisiana: Gumbo!

In this class, you’ll learn how to make a chicken, sausage and okra gumbo. Master this recipe, then adapt it to feature turkey, seafood or almost any leftover protein.

In this class you will:

• Chop and prepare the Cajun Trinity of onion, bell pepper and celery

• Create a dark brown roux from butter and flour

• Make a zingy rémoulade dressing for a crisp green salad

• Make your own Cajun seasoning, tailored to your personal taste

While the gumbo flavors marry in the cooking pot, we’ll give a brief tutorial on the ABCs of roux, from a blond roux that adds flavor and heft to classic Cajun étouffée to the dangerously dark roux adds a depth and mystery to your gumbo.

We will also teach you a little history of gumbo, the differences between various gumbos and how to customize the dish to your liking. Whether you’re looking for a delicious way to use up leftover Thanksgiving turkey or you need to feed a crowd, gumbo is the perfect dish to warm up a cool fall day. There’s a reason this is the official dish of Louisiana.

This class is perfect for date night or girls’ night out. Your work will be rewarded with dinner of gumbo, green salad and crusty French bread and of course a FABulous Dessert!

Plan your own gathering for the next day, or freeze your gumbo for delicious, ready-to-eat suppers at home. You’ll leave the FAB kitchen with plenty to savor, and gumbo is always better the next day.

This is a perfect Date Night/Friend’s Night Out class, so you are welcome to BYOB (please drink responsibly.) We recommend an off-dry Riesling, Chenin Blanc, Gewurztraminer or Pinot Gris. (Though we also recommend you don’t open the bottle until your roux is made.)