A hot steaming bowl of Louisiana’s most famous food sends a tantalizing aroma to your senses and conjures up visions of rustic homes on bayous, moss covered oak trees and wonderful times spent with family and friends. A big pot of gumbo on the table is always the perfect occasion for a gathering and can be quite a big affair.

Which variety is best. Grandma’s seafood gumbo or mothers chicken and andouille? Should it be thickened with okra or is it best with a roux? Does it have to use file’ to be an authentic gumbo? All interesting questions and the answers will vary widely. Depending on family traditions and availability of ingredients authentic gumbos can come in many varieties.

In some homes chicken and andouille gumbo is the favorite. In others a seafood gumbo with okra and file’ wins the award hands down. And purists will claim a gumbo that is true to the roots of the dish will be dark and rich loaded with okra, locally obtained ingredients and will always use a roux. It is the many and varied recipes and combination of ingredients that make gumbo so unique and so appealing.

Your basic gumbo will start with onions, celery and green pepper sauteed in a roux. Roux is flour browned in oil and is the basis for providing the body, color and unique flavor to gumbo. Then water is added creating a soup like concoction to which other ingredients are added. A little garlic, some black pepper and salt, a bay leaf or two along with optional seasonings like thyme, white pepper, oregano and cayenne pepper go into the brew to cook and meld. Then the main meat or fish components go into the pot and this magical blend of ingredients becomes the wonderful dish we know as gumbo.

Good cooks seem to always strive to tweak and improve or find new and different ways to make recipes better. This is true with gumbo. And in recent decades celebrity chefs have introduced hot and spicy to gumbo and added ingredients gumbo traditionalist often scoff at. Sweet potatoes in gumbo? Who would have thought it would be so good. Holiday gumbo using leftover turkey and ham and a stock made from the bones takes the dish on a tangent that everyone should experience.

Gumbo often provides a reason to celebrate. There are gumbo festivals, gumbo cook offs and gumbo parties. You find gumbo kings, gumbo queens and gumbo restaurants. Every cookbook published will have at least one gumbo recipe. In stores you find gumbo cookbooks, gumbo spoons and bowls, gumbo pots and instant gumbo in a package.

Gumbo is found on the menu of nearly every restaurant in Louisiana. Chefs and restaurants claim to have the best in town. And the great thing about that is you have to try them all in order to find your favorite.

The author of this article was born on the bayous of Louisiana. Being a native of Cajun country Gene Gautro learned to cook and eat the wonderful cuisine Louisiana is famous for. New Orleans is a favorite destination and Gene and his wife Jan often travel there to experience the wonderful restaurants and culture found in the Big Easy.

He is a lover of Louisiana’s most famous food and is expert at making the many varied recipes. Gumbo is that famous dish and Gene maintains a web site for free gumbo recipes and gumbo cooking instruction. Visit his site and enjoy many of the fantastic recipes New Orleans has made famous.

The Napoleonic Code was intended to simplify the laws in a time when many people were illiterate or did not have access to printed information. Ironically, the effort to create a simpler and easier to understand legal system has resulted in one of the more complex and least understood set of state laws here in Louisiana.

There are many other distinctions between the two systems, but it is not as important to know every single distinction as it is to understand that there are significant differences between the state laws in Louisiana and those of most other states.

Real Estate Law Basics

Real estate laws are the laws that address the land and anything built upon that land including ownership, usage, and transfer of ownership of that land. As discussed above, Louisiana’s unique legal heritage has affected the current laws in many ways. One such way is the term used to refer to real estate in this state. While the rest of the United States uses “real estate” in legal documents, in Louisiana real estate is referred to as “immoveable property.”

Inheritance and “Forced Heirs”

Another area which requires the special attention is that of inheritance within Louisiana. The laws regarding inheritance derived from the Napoleonic Code were intended to ensure that assets remained in their family of origin, so while the other 49 states allow property to be transferred as the owner prefers after their death, this is not always the case in Louisiana.

The laws regarding inheritance of real estate can dictate that close relatives including parents or children inherit property before anyone else.

These two cities have many historical attractions, world renowned restaurants, museums, architecture and other forms of entertainment. The two cities also have many colleges and universities. If you like the suburbs, then there are many areas that may interest you and if you like the outdoors and peace and serenity, you may appreciate many of the rural communities.

Louisiana has many national parks and lots of wild life which makes it a great place to consider moving to. Unlike other areas, the economy in Louisiana has not been as affected as other places in the United States.

If you are considering buying real estate in Louisiana, your first step should be to research all the different cities, suburbs and rural areas in the state. Where do you want to live? Figure out what communities could make you the most happy. If you are still unclear you may want to consider renting in an area briefly to understand the community better.

After that, you will want to find a real estate agent who you can trust. There are many types of real estate available out there however and you may want to find an agent who can help you find the property that is just right for you. There are agents who specialize in finding residential homes, rental properties or industrial properties.

You may want to move your entire family and choose property which your family will live in. Perhaps you are looking for rental properties which are available in many places in Louisiana including the downtown areas or areas around colleges and universities. You may also consider starting or relocating a business and may want to settle in the area. Regardless, Louisiana has a lot to offer.

The agent should listen to your wishes and choose a list of properties that fits your needs. If you are unclear about an agent, then you should ask around to a friend or relative to see if they have used an agent in the area. You should consider using agents in the Louisiana area who know a lot about the state and can guide you in the right direction in terms of property.

Remember that just because someone recommended an agent, does not make the agent the right person for you. You should investigate several options, and go and talk to as many agents to find the one that is right for you. Louisiana can be a great place to invest in real estate. As long as you keep all of your options open and choose an agent who you can trust, then you will find the perfect property in this part of the country.