Classic Roux   Pull three cold beers out of the fridge, set aside the stove, open one, and take a sip. Ahhhhhh. Place a heavy-bottomed, cast-iron enameled Dutch oven on the stove, over a low flame. Measure (by weight and not volume) equal parts of flour and oil. In this instance, 8 ounces of flour and 8 ounces of oil. Add the mixture into the pot. Using a whisk, constantly mix and stir the mixture (careful not to splatter on your skin – they don’t call roux Cajun napalm for nothing) until it foams and slowly starts to turn a light caramel color (about 10 minutes). If the mixture begins to bubble or pop – immediately remove from the heat. Continue to stand, stir, and keep close eye over the roux (that’s why I told you to get the beers out of the fridge to keep you occupied) until it reaches a rich brown/reddish color – approximately 45-70 minutes. Tip: start out low and slow. After you’ve had experience, you can always increase your heat to speed up the process. If it burns, i.e. little black specs appear – throw it out and start over. Seriously – a burnt roux will cause the entire dish to be bitter and off in taste.   Baked Roux (Alton Brown method)   Perhaps one of Alton Brown’s greatest scientific contributions to the world of food is his no-fail, oven-baked roux. Instead of standing and constantly stirring, Brown endorses mixing together the fat and flour (uncovered Dutch oven), and placing it onto the middle rack of a preheated oven at 350 degrees F. Stir every half hour or so, until a dark/red brown color is reached – about 90 minutes. Add additional 15-minute increments if needed. This method, although slower, is nice because it allows you to prep, chop, clean, etc. while the oven takes the work out of stirring the pot.   Directions: Preheat a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add sausage and cook until browned; remove and set aside on a plate. Next, add okra and sauté until just slightly charred, about 3-4 minutes; remove and set aside on a plate. Combine oil and flour, stirring constantly, to make a dark brown roux, about the color of chocolate; 45-70 minutes. Add the onions, peppers, celery, and Creole seasoning; sauté until tender, about 8-10 minutes. Add tomatoes, followed by the beer. Next, add the hot sauce, bay leaves, and cayenne pepper. Finally, whisk in the seafood stock, one cup at a time. Bring the mixture to a slow boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 30 minutes, up to a few hours, skimming the fat/foam as necessary. Add sausage and okra back into the pot, cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes, or until okra is just cooked through. Add the shrimp and crawfish; stir to make sure the seafood is immersed in the liquid. Turn off heat, cover, and allow the seafood to gently cook for 10-15 minutes. Shrimp and crawfish tail meat should be firm and bright in color. Serve in bowls topped with white rice and garnished with sliced scallions.