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All-American Curry

Gebhardt's Texas Chili powder is a dependable one, and you should get acquainted with our own indigenous chili powder or curry-it's called filé in New Orleans where it's the making of good gumbos. The Indians originated it and still make it down there, by grinding up the dried tender tips of sassafras. You can get a bottle of this all- American curry for two-bits from the New Orleans Import Company in the old Creole City and you'll find nothing better for spicing gravies for game, chicken, seafood and hot sandwiches, or anything that responds to a spoonful of sassafras at the finish, like gumbos, chowders and mulligans. A good thing to remember is that while curry, paprika and chili powder should be cooked with a dish to bring out their full flavors, not merely dusted on as seasonings, filé alone goes into the pot right at the finish and is not cooked with it, for cooking ruins its flavor, it is only stirred in and never heated up. Here are the directions for currying meats, just as they're printed on our can of Madras Curry Powder: