Authentic Cajun Cuisine: What the Louisiana Bayou Tastes Like
They say that America is a melting pot of cultures. You get a little British, a dash of French, a sprinkling of Native Americans, and a pinch of Asians. The list of ethnic identities that add to the vibrancy of our country goes on and on.
What is great about our country is that we accept all cultures. Let us take French customs as an example. Although it is prevalent in LA, you do not have to jump to another state to taste Cajun food. You merely have to tap Google to see the best places to get crawfish in Houston.
As you scroll down Google looking for the best crawfish bars in Houston, you might wonder about the difference between Creole and Cajun. You can learn more about them in this article.
A Quick History
We usually interchange Creole and Cajun. If you want to be accurate, you should know that the former was established earlier. The enslaved black community took inspiration from their African heritage while borrowing from Spanish tradition.
On the other hand, Cajun cuisine came together after the establishment of New Orleans as a city. It probably took root from French culinary cuisine, especially after the French were defeated by the British in the mid-1700. We will be focusing on Cajun cuisine in this article.
The Acadians found the move to New Orleans a bit challenging because the weather was considerably different. It meant that they could no longer create the dishes that they were accustomed to. They had to work with Old-World culinary traditions using seafood.
We often associate Louisiana with crawfish bars and Seafood-heavy dishes because people from that region incorporated freshwater and saltwater protein, like catfish, redfish, crawfish, and shrimp with other staples, such as turkey, duck, pork, and even alligator. They found inspiration from French gastronomy by building dishes using bell pepper, onion, and celery.
Signature Dishes
You might be looking for the best places to get crawfish in Houston. But you should also try some other Cajun specialties. Here are some of them:
- Andaouille - In traditional French cuisine, it involves a spicy pork sausage. Its Cajun twist includes garlic, pepper, onions, and wine.
- Gratons - Some people also call this scratchings. Gratons are the snack-size bits left over after rendering meat, like pork, chicken, or goose. They are served as appetizers in Louisiana.
- Gumbo - It is the official state dish of Louisiana. Traditionally, cooks start by making a dark gravy or roux, along with shellfish or game. They would also throw some sausages or ham. After a few hours of cooking, it would meld into something delightful and uplifting.
- Jambalaya - If you are in Louisiana, you should not miss this dish because it is one of the state’s culinary symbols. What is great about this is that the rules for making this one are not strict. All you need to stew is rice, shrimp, and sometimes, chicken, crawfish. You can even throw in some beef if you want.
- Boiled Crawfish - Of course, you must not forget this southern staple. It is a more accessible version of lobster, especially in the Bayou. Although you might find yourself a tad messy while eating this, it is worth it.
Conclusion
Cajun cooking is a fusion of Old-World traditions and trendy practices. They meld together to form something entirely unique.
You might find yourself hankering for some good old Cajun dishes after reading this piece. But you do not have to worry because you can find crawfish bars in Houston. You will be delighted to find Crawfish Cafe in the heart of Texas, where we offer authentic Cajun dishes. Come and visit us now to see what we mean!