Nestled in the heart of Cypressville, Main Street Java isn't just a coffee shop, it's a haven built with love by Walter. After years dedicated to another career, Walter returned home in 2001 with a dream – to breathe life back into his beloved community. The old warehouse and department store became a canvas, and Walter, the artist, transformed it into a vibrant space for laughter, conversation, and most importantly, connection. It's a place where teenagers find a safe haven, families gather over steaming cups of joe, and during those crisp winter months, the aroma of Walter's legendary gumbo draws everyone "out of the woodwork," warming bellies and hearts alike. This recipe isn't just a collection of ingredients, it's a taste of Walter's family history. This is his mother Johnnie Bernadette's recipe, a tradition passed down with the love of bringing folks together. Main Street Java itself is a reflection of that love for Cypressville, and an invitation to join the warmth that simmers within its walls. So, grab your favorite mug, turn the page, and let Walter's gumbo, a taste of family and community, bring a little bit of Cypressville magic into your kitchen. Jane inherited her Aunt Matilda’s Victorian home in downtown Cypressville, she discovered her aunt's recipe box in the back of the old butler's pantry. Some of her collected recipes went back as far as the eighteen hundreds. Some of the older papers were fragile and had directions scratched out and edited by each new baker in the family. Her favorite recipe was her great grandma’s Pumpkin Spice Muffins.

Jane would have never made the recipe in its original form because of the amount of work that went into preparation. But fortunately, her grandmother figured out how to use canned pumpkin. Attached to the recipe with a rusted paper clip was a black-and-white photograph of her grandmother and grandfather from the nineteen forties. They stood in front of the Alexandria Town Hall, her grandmother held a tray of muffins with a blue ribbon, and her husband, who worked for Libby’s™ as a traveling salesman, had a can of the pure pumpkin that she used in the muffins.

Jane mastered her family’s recipe, and now, during the autumn and holiday months, Mr. Fournier carries them in his bakery.

Gumbo Ingredients

• Roux

• 2 quarts chicken stock (Walter uses Swanson® 100% Natural Gluten Free Chicken Cooking Stock)

• 2 quarts water

• 1 large yellow onion

• Okra

• Garlic powder

• Red pepper flakes

• Cajun Seasoning (Walter uses Tony Chachere’s® Original Creole Seasoning)

• Black pepper

• Salt

• 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breast or 6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs

• 3 links of sausage (Walter prefers Andouille Sausage)