re: What makes a great gumbo?

Yes, I Like okra, but not in chicken gumbo. To say it's not gumbo without its namesake okra, is like saying its not jambalaya without ham.

A gumbo is a chain of flavors, each ingredient is important, the right roux, fresh seafood, proper technique, the biggest mistake I see outsiders make is in the seasoning. I was invited to a tailgate party in Tuscaloosa a few years ago, they wanted me to taste the gumbo, it was beautiful, dark brown, lots of shrimp, crab, oysters, okra, the first taste was very disappointing, no gumbo flavor, none. They had a shaker of Tony's on the side for seasoning. The bay leaf, the thyme, the cayenne, the salt, the pepper, all crucial. If you put Tony's in gumbo, you are a rookie.