Filé powder has been used by cooks in the Louisiana region for centuries. Filé is the ground leaf of the sassafras tree, Sassafras albidum, a member of the laurel family.

A small bowl of filé powder is pictured alongside spiced shrimp-sausage-crawfish-chicken gumbo at The Bayou Kitchen & Lounge, in Longwood Gumbo filé is made from ground sassafras leaves.

However, according to Gale, not having filé on hand isn't necessarily a culinary catastrophe. "Okra can be used instead of filé powder," she says, "but it will have a distinct okra flavor." Okra ...

If there’s one thing to remember about storing file powder, it’s to keep the container tightly closed and do so immediately after opening to use. The dry powder is very good at absorbing any moisture ...

Q–Can you tell me where to find file powder? –Willie Lumford, Chicago. Q–File (pronounced FEE-lay) powder, made from dried leaves of the sassafras plant, is most often used in Cre… ...

Talcum powder lawsuits claim a link between talc products and cancer diagnoses, and are holding manufacturers liable for neglecting to warn of their products’ known health risks. Read on to ...

Cold weather has arrived in many parts of the country and with it, the need to warm body and soul. What better way than with that spicy Louisiana favorite, gumbo? The Early Show resident chef ...

This recipe for a shrimp and chicken gumbo with andouille cooks all afternoon, starting with a broth infused with shrimp shells and chicken wings. A dark roux and trinity vegetables make a flavor ...

Filé powder has been used by cooks in the Louisiana region for centuries. Filé is the ground leaf of the sassafras tree, Sassafras albidum, a member of the laurel family. Native to North America ...