Cooking Tips From Louisiana

Cooking Louisiana Style

Louisiana is synonymous with Creole and Cajun cuisine.  When these terms come to mind, many think of hot and spicy food that will make you break out in a sweat if you attempt to eat them.  The flavor, however, is what really sets this type of cuisine apart from the rest.  If you’re going to cook a meal Louisiana style, you have to know what ingredients and techniques go into it.  What makes this style of cooking so different from everything else?  Let's take a look.

Spices and Seasonings

Locals use a unique blend of spices and seasonings to give their food a specific bite and flavor exclusive to the region.  A mixture of spices is often used in order to make sure the flavor of one spice does not dominate the other.   A few spices and seasonings you may recognize are cayenne pepper, file powder, cumin, thyme, and parsley.   Each one adds a special touch all its own, but when combined creates a meal bursting with warm, rich flavor.

Location

Due to the closeness to the Gulf of Mexico and other waterways, Louisiana cooks use a variety of seafood in their cuisine.  With easy access to shrimp, crab, oysters, and a variety of fish, it only makes sense that many specialties include seafood.   Louisiana cooks also rely heavily on the abundance of crops such as okra, assorted greens, and sweet potatoes.   When combining all these resources together, you have a distinct cuisine that cannot be found anywhere else.

Influences

There are a multitude of cultural influences that have contributed to the distinct taste of Louisiana cuisine.  These unique dishes have a touch of French, Spanish,  African, Native American, and Italian influence, just to name a few.  The cooking expertise from these different cultures, combined with the local Southern influences, bring about the evolution of this distinct cooking style.

Cooking Techniques

When you visit the South, you will notice a good deal of deep fried food.  Just think about fried chicken and you can't help but picture a Southern kitchen.  The term 'barbeque' can mean smoked and slow-cooked just as it could mean cooked with dry rubbed seasonings or sauces.  It's all about the method.  A good Southern cook will have a container for saving bacon grease nearby the stove.  You'll find pastries and pie crusts baked with lard.  Many dishes begin with a dark roux and the Holy Trinity of onion, celery, and green pepper.  These methods are tried-and-true and most Louisiana cooks are wary of straying too far from the basics they learned from their ancestors.

When learning to cook like a Louisiana native, it’s important to immerse yourself in the culture and the techniques.  There are tons of resources including recipes books, the internet, and cooking classes that will help you learn what you need to know.  Everyone has their own cooking style, so there may be a few things you do differently.  But, keep the basics and you'll be able to create a variety of Louisiana cuisine to impress your family and friends... and even a few locals!