| Many people wrongly assume that Creole cooking | | | | along the Mississippi River. They were mostly |
| is synonymous with Cajun cooking. The truth is | | | | from Spain, Portugal and France and were known |
| that the origin of these styles of cooking took | | | | for their wealth. They were heavily involved in the |
| shape in close proximity of each other but have | | | | early shipping, banking and farming industries. They |
| different roots altogether. It's important to take a | | | | enjoyed their wealth and they, like the Cajuns, |
| look at the ancestry that has brought both these | | | | enjoyed their food too! |
| styles to life. | | | | Creole food takes it's roots from French and |
| The early Cajuns were originally evicted citizens | | | | Spanish recipes but also is influenced by Africa, |
| of Acadia Canada (present day Nova Scotia). | | | | Italy, Germany and West Indies styles. The slaves |
| They settled in southern Louisiana along the | | | | of the Creoles brought okra to Louisiana whose |
| Mississippi River and to areas west of New | | | | African name is 'gumbo'. Creole food shares many |
| Orleans. They later moved further west into an | | | | of the same spices and ingredients as Cajun food |
| area now known as Acadiana. The Cajuns were a | | | | but were typically served in many courses and |
| hard working group but always took time to | | | | were presented in a traditional European fashion. |
| celebrate life despite the hardships they had | | | | So why is there so much confusion regarding the |
| faced. They were always ready to share a meal, | | | | two different styles? The reason is that over |
| a story, and "pass a good time". | | | | time, the two styles have made a sort of |
| Cajun cooking has been misinterpreted as being | | | | cooking style gumbo out of themselves. Both the |
| overly spicy. While the food is well seasoned, it is | | | | Cajuns and Creoles loved their foods and |
| definitely palatable by most. The meals are usually | | | | borrowed bits of each style and incorporated into |
| spiced using cayenne pepper, black pepper Most | | | | their own. Indeed it is probably easier to compare |
| Cajun recipes call for onions, celery and bell | | | | the similarities between the two styles than it |
| pepper (sometimes referred to as 'the trinity') as | | | | would be to pinpoint the differences. Both use a |
| well as parsley, green onions (onion tops) and | | | | variety of the same seafood and wildlife, |
| garlic. A thickening agent called a roux is a | | | | seasonings and vegetables as well as the roux |
| commonly used ingredient in many Cajun recipes. | | | | base. While it may be difficult to draw the line |
| Most recipes are more improvisations than | | | | between both Cajun cooking and Creole cooking, |
| precisely measured and are typically 'one pot' | | | | one thing can be said definitively of both: They're |
| meals. | | | | both delicious and not to be missed if the |
| The Creoles were European settlers who made | | | | opportunity to indulge is presented! |
| their homes in New Orleans and in plantations | | | | |