Let’s get shakin!!!!!!
There are few dishes that are both Cajun and Creole, but both have different variations of similar dishes.
I’ve always made what I considered “traditional” Louisiana foods, but it wasn’t till my years of living and working in different parts of south Louisiana I really learned the differences.
One of the simplest differences between the two cuisine is Creole food typically uses tomatoes and tomato-based sauces while traditional Cajun food does not.
Cajun food is rustic.
Cooking anything found along the Bayou. It is a combination of French and Southern style cooking. Think of one-pot dishes; jambalaya, rice dressing, boudin.
Ya’ crawfish boil is another Cajun culture creation!
Creole has culturally diverse food, created from New Orleans with European, African and Native American roots. The French have a strong influence, but there is a multitude of culture mixed in. Italian, Spanish, German, Caribbean flare; all can be found in different Creole dishes. The Creole flavor is found using rich sauces, local herbs and fresh caught seafood.
Both cuisines make use of the “holy trinity,” chopped green peppers, onions and celery. Cajun and Creole food doesn’t have to be spicy or hot, but it must have a plethora of flavor. The depth of flavor these unique cuisines have is what makes southern cooking so different from the rest of the world. One thing that will always be true – you’ll never go wrong adding a few shakes of any Benwood’s Surely Southern product!
Remember, “Treat your kitchen, Treat yourself!”
Chef Hunter Lee
Uniquely southern, surely the best