Hey gang! Wasn't this discussed on [CH] in the past week? It's the trivia question for the Culinary Connection Newsletter of 9/23. "Choctaw Indians from the Louisiana bayou country are said to have been the first users of this seasoning made from the ground, dried leaves of the sassafras tree. It's since become an integral part of Creole cooking and is used to thicken and flavor gumbos. It has a woodsy flavor reminiscent of root beer. It must be stirred into a dish after it's removed from the heat because undue cooking makes it tough and stringy." Chuck Berridge San Marcos, CA