Sassafras is a richly nuanced medicinal tree that also has a distinctive place in the culinary world. Sassafras root bark is responsible for the flavor of root beer, but it is no longer used due to a Food and Drug Administration ban. The reasons for this fortunately do not transfer to sassafras leaves which have a long history of being essential to classical Southern gumbo. I think sassafras falls into the category of underutilized herbs. Despite questions about safety and bad publicity, sassafras is distinctive and very much worth getting to know.

Links to Gumbo Mentions:

Toni Tipton Martin

Jubilee Recipes from Two Centuries of African American Cooking: A Cookbook by Toni Tipton Martin

Lena Richard

New Orlean"s Cookbook by Lena Richard

My favorite sources for gumbo file:

Red Stick Spice Co.

Mountain Rose Herbs: dried sassafras leaves

Join me in this episode for more on sassafras…the unique features of its leaves, its medicinal qualities and some safety concerns. Sending you warm winter wishes and thank you for joining me!

---Deepest gratitude to Andrea Klunder, my podcast boss. Find her at thecreativeimposter.com.

Original music by Dylan Rice

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ABOUT DINA

Dina Ranade is a Registered Herbalist with the American Herbalist Guild and a Registered Dietitian/Nutritionist. She is also a mom of three humans - two daughters and one son all now living their young adult lives - and one sweet Pomeranian named Maci.