1 ham hock
1 (3 lb.) frying size chicken, or equal amount of favorite parts
3 qt. water
2 lbs. okra, sliced
1 bunch celery, diced
4 onions, chopped
10 bay leaves
4 cloves garlic
2 cans whole tomatoes
4 tbsp. bacon fat
2 sm. cans tomato paste
4 dashes Tabasco
1 tbsp. parsley flakes
1 tbsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. tarragon
1/2 tsp. thyme
1/2 tsp. rosemary
Salt and pepper to taste

Cut chicken in pieces. Cover with flour and fry in bacon fat until brown. Remove from frying pan and fry okra, onions, peppers together, stirring constantly to keep from burning. (Add more bacon grease if necessary.) Cook until okra ceases to rope.

Place ham hock, fried chicken and water in a large pot which can be covered. Add all ingredients cooked in the frying pan along with tomatoes, paprika, Tabasco, garlic, parsley, tarragon, thyme, rosemary and bay leaves. Cover and simmer for 3 hours. Stir occasionally. At the end of the 3 hours, remove the chicken and the ham bones. Add salt and pepper to taste during cooking.

A few minutes before serving, boil shrimp and/or fresh or canned crabmeat may be added to make this a seafood gumbo.

Serve over a mound of rice in a large soup bowl. At the table suggest that each guest pour and mix into the soup a soup spoon of white vinegar. This heightens the flavor of gumbo considerably. Recipe freezes well.