Southern At Heart Season 2 Episode 6 When Flavors Come Marching In

In the sixth episode of Southern At Heart's second season, titled "When Flavors Come Marching In," host Damaris Phillips brings her unique culinary perspective to create dishes inspired by New Orleans, a city where good food and great music come together. As a native of Kentucky, Phillips is excited to explore the flavors and traditions of the Big Easy.

Phillips begins her journey by discovering the origin of one of New Orleans' most famous dishes: gumbo. She visits a restaurant where she learns from a local chef about the different versions of gumbo and the history behind this flavorful soup. Phillips also learns about the influence of African, French, and Spanish cultures on New Orleans' cuisine. With this knowledge, Phillips heads to her kitchen to create her own version of the classic dish, putting her own spin on the recipe with ingredients like smoked chicken and andouille sausage.

Phillips then turns her attention to another quintessential New Orleans dish: jambalaya. She takes a trip to a local market to gather fresh ingredients and learns how to properly season her cast iron pan to get the best flavor out of the rice dish. Phillips adds her own flair to the recipe, as she often does, by creating a vegetarian version with hearty mushrooms instead of the traditional meats.

To round out her exploration of New Orleans cuisine, Phillips makes a dessert that is as lively and colorful as the city itself: king cake. She starts by making a dough using yeast and cinnamon and then fills it with cream cheese and raspberry preserves. Phillips then gets creative with the decoration, adding purple, green, and gold sugar - the colors of Mardi Gras - and a little plastic baby to represent good luck.

Throughout the episode, Phillips also shares tips and tricks for home cooks, from how to properly cook rice to how to dredge chicken for frying. As always, she infuses her recipes with her signature warmth and humor, making viewers feel like they're right there in the kitchen with her.

Overall, "When Flavors Come Marching In" is a celebration of the vibrant, unique cuisine of New Orleans. Phillips' passion for cooking and exploration shines throughout the episode, and viewers are sure to come away with new inspiration for their own Southern-inspired meals.