What Is Creole Food?

Authentic Creole food was originally found in and around New Orleans, Louisiana. As it has grown in popularity, Creole food restaurants have become more popular all around the United States. Creole influences are also showing up in many chain restaurants as it grows to be one of the more popular cuisines.

The Facts

Creole food is, more often than not, seasoned with some sort of pepper and tends to be very spicy. Most recipes for Creole food are made with a roux, which in French means "brown sauce." Most Creole cooks believe the darker the roux the better the flavor and will leave some roux to cook for many hours. Overall, Creole dishes take all day to cook because they must be left to simmer and become fully matured in flavor.

History

Creole food is a traditional New Orleans style of cooking that is a melting pot of French, Spanish, Mediterranean, Caribbean, Indian, Southern American and African influences. The world "Creole" is in reference to French Colonists who settled in what we know now as Louisiana as early as the 18th century. French food made the transition into Creole food when French colonists settled into Louisiana and had to change their cooking to adapt to the food sources that were in Louisiana.

Misconceptions

There are many misconceptions that Creole food and Cajun food are the same cuisine. While they are very similar and both are from Louisiana, they have many differences. One difference between the two is Cajun food tends to be robust and more highly spiced, while Creole food is more refined in spice and flavor. Another difference is in the classic dish étouffée; Creole étouffée is roux based while a Cajun étouffée is tomato based.

Popular Creole Dishes

The top four most popular Creole dishes are red beans and rice, jambalaya, étouffée and gumbo. All four of these dishes are made with the Creole roux. Two popular Creole desserts are beignets and pralines. Beignets are deep-fried and sprinkled with powdered sugar, and pralines are a Creole candy made from sugar, cream and pecans.

Common Ingredients

Unlike most American dishes, Creole food does not rely on chicken and beef as its main proteins. Creole food instead uses crawfish, duck, shrimp, alligator, turtle and oysters. Another popular staple in Creole food is "The Trinity," which is a mix of bell peppers, onions and celery. A few other popular ingredients in Creole dishes are: okra, rice, tomatoes, beans, sassafras, yams and pecans.