Many people appear to become confused when they hear the terms Cajun or Creole. And because both of these cooking styles originated in Louisiana, one can see how it could be confusing. Many folks from Louisiana would tell you that Creole cooking entails a more tradional type of cooking whereas Cajun cooking is generally considered to be hotter or spicier. But both types of cuisine are unique and offer a great variety of different dishes.

The Basics

The use of the term Cajun cooking truly took root in the 80’s. When Cajun cooking comes to mind, the first thing that many people think of is blackened chicken. while this is most definitely considered a Cajun dish, it is not what many Cajuns would deem classic cooking.

The Cajuns are an ethnic group found in Louisiana in the southern United States. They settled there after being exiled from Canada. Cajuns can trace their roots to the Acadian people, a group of people from France that settled in Canada. They use a very distinct French dialect. When exiled from Canada, they brought their culture and traditions to the United States. Theses traditions, including Cajun cooking, remain active today.

Many true Cajun chefs will talk of recipes handed down for generations. They proudly guard their recipes and their heritage. In this type of cooking, often exact measurement is not used. There is a “pinch of this” and a “dash of that”.

The Cajun cooking style uses many spices, fat, butter and garlic. These recipes may not be the healthiest, but they do have flavor.

Cajun Cooking Ideas

Many Cajun cooking recipes involve seafood as this is a local mainstay in Louisiana. Catfish recipes abound, using onion, butter, mayonnaise, mustard, lemon juice and of course hot sauce. These ingredients are combined and then poured on the catfish and baked. Shrimp is often used as well as crawfish and even alligator. These Cajun cooking selections make for an authentic choice when attempting to create a Cajun style feast. There are many Cajun cooking books available that can assist in making Cajun style food.

Cajun cooking generally involves a wide variety of spices combined to add flavor to anything. Using pepper, parsley flakes, garlic powder, hot pepper, currey powder, and people can make their own Cajun spices at home. Experiment with spicy flavors and make your very own and unique Cajun spices.

Cajun cooking is a fun and creative form of the culinary arts. Making your own style of Cajun spices to be used on everything from French fries to chicken, will add a new taste and texture to all your meals.