File' Powder

I posted this in Recipes,but thought I might put it here too.

Now that we have baby leaves everywhere,I need a process for making authentic File' Powder(fee-lay powder)It's a Cajun concoction using young Sassafrass tree leaves.You flavor and thicken gumbos and such with it.

Does anyone have a Granny that makes her own? I'd like an actual 'heirloom' recipe. Lisa??? know anyone??

Yes, yes! Ditto! I missed my opportunity to make file last year, and my sassafras are currently in full bloom and the leaves are starting to pop.

dave

I know inmature leaves are used,but at what stage?

Lisa told me once that you needed to harvest them on a night with a full moon and turn around three times before picking them...and if an owl hooted,you had to start all over again!!
LOL! LOL! LOL!

HEy folks - could'nt resist replying to this thread about File'. Your mention of a full moon and turn three times is not very far off actually. I was fortunate enough to have a cajun babysitter when I was young. The last time we made File' together - I was nine years old. That was over 30 years ago - I say this to date the File' - I still have some in the refridgerator and it's still good. Store it right and it lasts forever. As best as I can remember - you do harvest at a full moon - which month I'm not sure - but I remember it being quite warm. Then the leaves are loosely wrapped in a cotton bedsheet or "summer bedspread". They were turned daily as they dried - for several days. Then my memory gets fuzzy here - I can't remember if the leaves were baked in the oven - but the last step is grinding - over and over until powder consistency is achieved.

I have heard it said that if not prepared at the right time - one might as well use sand. - I can attest that good file is worth it's weight in gold and a treasure to keep. I have gone to the lengths in the past year of tracking down good file' fresh from the local farms in Lousiana bayou country. This is one item there is not a reasonable commercial offering that I have found to compare - to the full moon and turn three times - maybe even sing "Jole' Blon" method!

Good Luck!

swoznick

I looked it up in my "Field Guide to North American Edible Wild Plants", and it offered nothing about the leaves. My sister packages them and sells them in Louisiana, so I can email Mama to ask her. My book has this information: " Dried pulverized leaves flavor and thicken soups and gravies. Use green winter buds and young leaves in salad. Caution: Sassafras reportedly has carcinogenic properties." It also gives instructions for using the root and making jelly.

Lisa posted a reply to my request in recipes. It's obvious that I was thinking of something else when I thought baby leaves were used.

It looks like something I can do though.We have an abundance of Sassafrass in the area and I figure it will be something that I can add to my 'heirloom'collection.

There are chemicals in the Sassafrass that are carcenogenic,tea made from the roots is not good for you in large quantities.But,most everything is bad for you if done in excess. Moderation is the key.

Hey Folks,

Those of you who have an abundance of sassafrass - would it be possible to provide seedlings or cuttings? I am interested in having this addition to my gardens as well - and cannot seem to locate a supplier. I would be happy to provide postage for the transfer. Please let me know of availability.

Thanks

swoznick

swoznick, sassafrass trees don't transplant well at all. Very-if any- few survive. The seedlings come up from mostly roots of the mom tree(i think), making transplanting next to impossible. I don't have any trees myself, I would love to have some. I depend on my file' supply from a little old lady down the road. Don't know what I'll do after she stops making it.

This message was edited Monday, Apr 1st 10:52 AM

Last yr I collected the leaves and, like Melody, was told to use young leaves. I dried them in my tool shed and they did wonderfully well. However, unfortunately a bag of Bt from the shelf above them broke all over them. (Altho Bt doesn't harm people I just didn't want to risk using them.)

Swoznick (family name?)...you're right down the road from me. Ya oughtta swing by sometime, k? I have some small ones we can attempt to dig up. Email me if you like.

'Shoe, might have been a blessing in disguise..lol..the old true cajuns here don't fool with the leaves 'till August. Although, some do pick in July, but never earlier. Oh, fogot to mention..you must wear a 'gator claw/tooth necklace when harvesting. Never wear a yellow shirt and use unblimished leaves. Always face your ladder(the step part) to the south.

Thibodaux - now there's a name that sounds familiar! My father was a fish boat captain in Cameron, La. Actually what you're saying about facing south and no yellow shirt - well - I could take that as truth! August would feel about right down there for making file' - I remember it being quite hot. Now the gatortooth necklace.... Hmmm - did'nt use one of those I don't think - but we were on a farm and not by the bayou... Of course - there's a bit of voodoo a little bit of everywhere down there - right?

Hahahahaha

Thanks for bringing back good memories!

swoznick

swoznick, how were you not close to the bayou? Or is "close" a relative thing here? I don't remember seeing any place that wasn't close to some bayou.

I guess that by close I meant that my feet were'nt getting wet. The farm where my cajun sitter took care of me was in a place called Creole - a few miles outside of Cameron. I remember farms and cattle out there - but part of the way to her house - the road ran next to the gulf and you could see the water. Perspectives are different when you are a kid - distance and time - etc. But you are right - canals run next to the roads - or maybe the roads were built between canals - and gators were in them...

okay, so now it is time for me to come clean..I was waiting on Shoe to bite on the comment about the yellow shirt, ladder and gator tooth...but noooooo...he is no where to be found. I was April foolin' him!!! You can pick the leaves in any color shirt you want, point the ladder where ever ... giggle..and ditch the gator necklace. :-) bad lisa...baaad lisa

Why, Lisa, you had me going there. I was frantically trying to visualize my granny in a yellow shirt and wearing that gator necklace. I just couldn't conjure up a clear image. But I do remember that if you indulge too much in that tea, you will spend a lot of time with the Sears catalog in that little private office with the moon on the door.

Aimee - maybe that's why my Mom gave me Sassafrass Tea, Lol!