re: Why are tomatoes absent in Cajun cuisine?

RE: tomatoes in gumbo, the late, lamented Randolph’s Restaurant in Golden Meadow used tomatoes in its gumbo. It was run by the same folks for umpteen years, and the last owner/chef teaches at the John Folse culinary school at Nicholls State in Thibodaux. He’s a Cheramie, and I’m not gonna tell a Cheramie from Golden Meadow that he’s wrong for putting tomatoes in his gumbo, just like his daddy did.

People are too hung up on food rules. I don’t personally put tomatoes in my gumbo, but I ate many a cup of Randolph’s seafood gumbo back in the day, and all were delicious.