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.

My pantry could be used as a test for culinary knowledge. There are loads of various spices, herbs, oils, sugars, flours, leavening agents and dried fruits. Many times, my husband has asked, “Where is ...

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 ...

Try it: File (FEE-lay) powder is prized for its woodsy flavoring and for its thickening properties in gumbo, soups and stews. Some glean a hint of thyme in its flavor.File powder is an important ...

tip about file powder March 11, 2008 More than 17 years ago This seasoning, made from dried and ground sassafras leaves, is used to thicken gumbos and adds a distinct Creole flavor.

File powder is an important regional ingredient, used in Creole cooking. According to Doris Townsend in "The Cook's Companion," the Choctaw Indians along the Gulf Coast are credited with first ...

Q–File (pronounced FEE-lay) powder, made from dried leaves of the sassafras plant, is most often used in Creole cooking, particularly in gumbo dishes where it is added at the end of cooking to ...

Gale says, "Filé is used at the end of cooking gumbo and is used as a thickening agent, and for its earthy flavor of sassafras leaves." Fortunately, substitutions for filé do exist, though some ...

Roux is a flour-and-fat thickening agent used as a base for stews, and filé is a flavoring powder made from the ground leaves of the sassafras tree -- as commenters were outraged to have to explain.