Creole Seasoning
Life in the USA is influenced by immigrants’ traditions and customs. This influence is to be seen also in the way American citizens eat and cook. One of these influences is materialized in the Creole and Cajun cuisine, for instance. In what follows we are going to discuss the Creole cuisine and, in particular, creole seasoning. When you hear the word Creole, you instantly think of New Orleans. There are different opinions regarding the origin of the term and notion Creole cuisine, and consequently, creole seasoning. It is thought that Creole refers to descendants of French-speaking settlers, descendants of Spanish-speaking settlers, white people, black people, both or a combination of the two. Anyway we can say this: Creole cuisine and creole seasoning are associated with New Orleans; Creole cuisine combines classic European cooking procedures with ingredients and cultural elements from all over the world (Africa, Latin America or Native America); Creole cuisine is one of the finest cuisines in America. Another statement is also true: the Creole and Cajun cuisines of Louisiana are two different things although people tend to make confusion, as both are associated with the French language and the Cajun country can be said to begin in the western suburbs of New Orleans. However, the roots of the two cuisines and the histories are different.
The Louisiana Creole cuisine combines French, Mediterranean, Caribbean, African and American influences, as well as Italian. The Spanish influences on Creole cuisine and creole seasoning can be seen in the use of the hot peppers, the importance given to rice and the introduction of beans. Creole cuisine and creole seasoning got the extensive use of tomatoes from the Spaniards and the Italians. The African influence, which was quite powerful, came about as almost all servants were African-American, just like many of the cooks in restaurants and cafes. In Creole cuisine and creole seasoning the so called “holy trinity” – chopped onions, green peppers and celery – is preferred to the classic French “mirepoix” of onions, carrots and celery. Another typical element of the Creole cuisine and creole seasoning is the preference for the thick soupy stew gumbo, which is thickened with fil (a product of ground dried sassafras leaves – contributed by Native Americans) or okra ( a mucilaginous vegetable which comes from Africa and is popular throughout the south). The geography of Louisiana makes it possible for the Creole cuisine and creole seasoning to use ingredients like: rice, shrimp, crab, oysters, crawfish, turkeys, beans and pork.
In as far as creole seasoning is concerned, we ca say that it benefits from a wide variety of “ingredients”. Besides salt, pepper and paprika, creole seasoning also uses garlic, onion, thyme, oregano, basil, sugar, cayenne pepper, mint, celery seeds and chili powder. Here is a very simple creole seasoning recipe. To prepare this creole seasoning you need to mix the following dried ingredients together well and then store them in an airtight container: 1 cup paprika, 1 cup garlic powder/granulated garlic, 1.5 tablespoon of black pepper, 1 tablespoon of sugar, 1/8 cup onion powder/granulated onion, 1/8 cup ground thyme, 1/8 dried oregano, and 1/8 dried basil. These mixed together will make a little over a cup’s worth of creole seasoning which is good for rubbing into meats or to give some punch to breading and bread crumbs when you fry your foods.