George Allen "Uncle Bud" worked at the Grand Hotel as a chef for 44 years and debuted his gumbo when he started at the resort in 1960. Featuring fresh seafood from Mobile Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, the same recipe is used by chefs at the hotel today. A U.S. Army Veteran, Uncle Bud's gumbo was known to be shipped regularly to the governor's mansion in Montgomery, Alabama. Generations of hotel guests have enjoyed “Uncle Bud’s” delicious gumbo for many years.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup onions, chopped
• 1 cup celery, chopped
• 1 cup green pepper, chopped
• 2 tablespoons bacon fat
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon oregano leaves
• 1 teaspoon thyme leaves
• ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• ½ ounce gumbo file
• 2 cups water
• 14 ½ ounce can diced tomato juice
• 8 ounce can tomato sauce
• 1/3 cup bacon roux
• ½ pound medium shrimp
• 4 ounces shucked oysters
• ½ pound crabmeat
• ¾ cup okra, cut
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Sauté onions, celery, and green pepper in bacon fat until unions are translucent. Add spices, water, tomatoes and tomato sauce. Bring to a boil, add roux, and cook until mixture thickens. Add shrimp, oysters, crabmeat, and okra and simmer until cooked. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serves 10-12