U.S. Cajun

Recipes

In Louisiana, the Cajuns are descendants of exiled Acadians from Canada and Nova Scotia. When New France lost its northern possessions to England in 1763, many of the settlers left Canada for the countryside of southern Louisiana, settling around New Orleans but generally not settling in New Orleans. During this time New Orleans was a thriving port city with a mix of French, Spanish and African cultures. The inhabitants of New Orleans called themselves "creoles" which at the time meant "native inhabitants" as opposed to the Americans who began to move into the city after Jefferson's purchase of the territory in 1803.

From the Cajun point of view, Cajun and Creole cuisine are similar when compared to "American" cuisine but differences appear when they are compared to each other. In general, Creole cuisine has been influenced by French, Spanish and Africa. The original French settlers combined traditional French cooking techniques and applied them to the ingredients used by native Americans, Spanish and Africans who lived in the city. These "Creole" dishes contain more tomato sauce, more garlic and a greater variety of herbs than Cajun dishes. They also use more butter and cream in their recipes. Cajun cuisine focuses more on well-seasoned meats and seafood with rice as the usual accompaniment. They do not have a legacy of cooking with milk or with cream sauces.

Creole is more closely associated with the food of New Orleans, while Cajun food is associated with that of the parishes surrounding the city.

Cajun/Creole Dishes
	On the left, a Cajun crawfish feast. Above: Shrimp Creole. Mmmmmmmm...

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