Creole Recipes

Creole recipes are a blend of various cultures that emigrated to New Orleans in the French colonial days. Like the Creole people, Creole recipes are a conglomeration of Italian, French, Spanish, African, Caribean and Native Americans, just to name a few.  Although there are many similarities between Creole and Cajun they are not the same thing but the distinction seems to grow hazier as time goes on. Creole cooking is more sophisticated than Cajun food. If Cajun food is country food, Creole food is city food, influenced by classic continental techniques and exotic spices and herbs from Native American, Caribean and African cultures. Some say the difference is that Creole recipes use tomatoes and Cajun recipes don't, but that is an oversimplification as there are many examples of Creole dishes that have no tomatoes and many Cajun dishes that do. There is a definite difference in the cuisines but some traditional dishes have Creole and Cajun versions-jambalaya and gumbo comes to mind.

Here is Sweet Daddy D's collection of some Creole favorites. Creole food is the definitive cuisine of New Orleans and along with Cajun food, defines the unique gastronomical identity of South Louisiana