but here in the city where we are painfully aware of being at least 7 feet under sea level in a matter where you are. how in the world are you going to grow a carrot. you can't grow a carrot. in a place where you can't even dig deep in -- decent grave. the tie believe that carrot came out in the pepper went in. the most important basis of everything in our flavor is the dark creel roux. it is also tipped by

tomatoes. it is often red there is nothing as delicious as a creel tomato in season. to jack's is a second oldest continuously operated restaurant in new orleans. it dates back to 1856. and there's only been three owners so the traditions have remained constant and authentic here. sometimes the word gumbo is

used to describe even who we are as a people. we have a very typical gumbo not just from the root which gives it its color. but also from file powder. it was introduced to the original settlers by the indians. a very unusual side effect of being added to a hot liquid and thickened. it literally thickened the liquid. so some gumbo's well had file partner -- file thickener. the indians and the words they

used for that powder if you add too much it can give it a thready, stringy odd texture. the african american slaves that are here in new orleans. many of them came from west africa. they spoke the language there. and the word there for okra was gumbo. lots of people truly believed that gumbo gets its name how can we ever tell her was at the african slave this is a mystery i don't think well ever saw. this combination room a lot.

the original sauce is a sauce you still find france. it is a mayonnaise based sauce. but when the room a lot sauce came across the lake to latest ocean it lane to the ocean it changed. it probably changed because of refrigeration or lack there of. mayonnaise is a very dicey issue if you don't have that refrigeration. consequently instead of the possible deadly consequence of that mayonnaise based room a lot. it became a fiery kissing cousin with the base of what is known as creel mustard. -- creole mustard.

that is what forms the basis. you can even see those little mustard seeds in their of the traditional new orleans sauce. here in new orleans we will find dishes that perhaps came in a very careful from france but got tweaked just a little bit when it got here. the sauce is a perfect example of that. and yet conversely we also here in new orleans operate what are almost food museums and in some of the older restaurants you will see the magical french fry, pump soufflé. it was invented in france in the 1800s. it's like a french fry but

it's cooked twice. so it helps us making this delicious very crispy bite of hot potato is like nothing else. much to my surprise i discovered back in the 80s that french people had forgotten the soufflé. it was not on menus. here in new orleans it continued along exactly as it always did. because we are really real sticklers for tradition here. there are specific foods that center around some of our traditions. let's not carnival time in new orleans unless there is king cakes everywhere. and that goes on throughout the entire 40 days of lent. it's one of our most iconic dishes. it was created in 1929 during a streetcar strike.

one of the things that is most important to understand is that it really is all about the bread. new orleans french bread is distinctly different. it's crusty, it's soft and beautiful on the inside and so there is original poor boy loaves were designed to be a seamless big enough to feed an entire family with one sandwich. it was invented at the martin brothers grocers. two brothers were originally streetcar conductors. they felt very surly. they put out to create a sandwich big enough to come feed a whole family.

they did one other innovation to it. and to set a been slightly pointed as the traditional baguette would be they blunt to the ends so that whoever got the end cut of the senate when it get the short end of the deal. so the sandwich really gets its name from the streetcar strike. and there is a poor boy loaf it was a result of that. this is an awesome menu and a special meal at tujague. it has been on the menu here since about 1914. the second owners at tujague were partners. they had been involved working for madame begay before it was

two shacks. -- tujague. it is unique and delicious because the chicken is fried without any batter or any coding. it's just browned and fried. the potatoes are fried in the same oil. and then the whole thing is heavily sprinkled with fresh garlic and fresh parsley chopped together. you do have to order it in advance. it takes almost an hour to prepare. >> we are sitting at america's oldest stand up bar. in the most famous cocktail that was invented here. is the grasshopper. that famous dessert cocktail was invented in 1918.

we will show you exactly how to make it. we start off with an equal poor of right and -- white and dark creme to cocoa and cream to met. it's all poured over ice. it's been given a good shake. to blend it while and make it all frothy and beautiful. his poured into a stemmed glass. and, it's topped with a little brandy floater. the perfect grasshopper cocktail. cheers.

hurricane katrina changed the whole game. basically for the first time since 1718 with a different but clean slate. we have an opportunity to do two things. the populace of the city realized how endangered the life was. it all seemed to manner. it seemed to matter more that it was preserved. and that the tradition was being carried forward. however, at the same time hurricane katrina brought an enormous influx of very bright people from all across the

country who moved here in droves and decided they wanted to live here. and based on the change of population. the food began to change. we have seen a greater division and the kinds of food served. in an explosion in the restaurant business like and nothing new orleans has ever seen before. here today on the 14 years almost 14 years after hurricane katrina. we head over twice as many restaurants operating in new orleans as we did before that. visitors come here and the most important thing to me is that they have an authentic food experience. whether it is trying a new sandwich or having a bowl of gumbo.

or trying to pick crawfish for the first time. it's all delicious and it's a delicious adventure. and that's what i want our visitors to experience and then go home with a really special food memory they created here in new orleans. the speak book a tv is in prime time tonight at 8:00 p.m. eastern. michael shermer and daniel peterson from the freedom for us -- michael eric dyson. what truth sounds like. and our unfinished conversation about race in america. thursday at 8:00 p.m. microsoft president brad smith with the future president. and on friday at 8:00 p.m. adam bello and all points

books talks about publishing authors from both the political right and left. watch book tv this weekend in prime time on c-span two. the sunday on oral histories. we continue our series on women's -- women in congress. and even my members resistance to me. but finally their acceptance of me. i was on the drafting committee only because i was a ranking member. i made a contribution. they allowed me to know