A Brief History Of Cajun Cuisine
Cajun cuisine, known for its spicy notes and heartiness, is a style of cooking that developed in the Southern reaches of the US after Acadian immigrants fled Canada in the 18th century. Inspired by rural French cooking, Cajun cuisine was developed by a population that lived off the land, adapting over centuries of cultural influences and geographical changes.
The Acadians were the original French settlers in North America. Immigrating to Canada in the early 1600s (the present-day Maritime Provinces), they lived off what was readily available to them. The traditional peasant-style recipes of the French countryside – usually meat and vegetables cooked with a thick sauce in a single pot – were adapted to include what the Acadians could catch or gather from both the land and sea. But when they refused to pledge allegiance to the British Crown in 1755, more than 14,000 Acadians were deported, many of whom made their way to Louisiana.
Upon settling in the South, these French-Canadian farmers once again adapted their cuisine to the ingredients that were at hand in the Acadiana region. Their cuisine evolved to include crab, oysters, alligator, crawfish, shrimp, catfish, and redfish caught in the nearby Gulf of Mexico and waters of the bayou – rather than the lobster, salmon, and cod found in the North Atlantic. Potatoes were replaced with rice, which thrived in Louisiana’s hot, sticky climate, bell peppers took the place of carrots in the culinary basis for stews (the Holy Trinity), and new spices (black pepper, cayenne) were introduced. Influences from the Spanish, Native Americans, and African-Americans also played a key role in making Cajun cuisine what it is today.
So what does Cajun cuisine look like? Cajun dishes are still heavily rooted in seafood, preserving the Acadian lifestyle of using what the land provides. Spices are key to developing flavor, a roux is almost always used, and the Holy Trinity – onion, celery, and green bell pepper – is the basis for nearly every dish. Popular Cajun dishes include gumbo, a soup made with filé, okra, chicken, sausage, and sometimes shrimp, the rice-focused jambalaya, boudin (pork sausage) or boudin balls (fried pork sausage), and rice and gravy. Community-based food celebrations are also still popular within the Acadia population, including the famed crawfish boil, family boucherie, cochon de lait, and the rural Mardi Gras.
Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.
Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.
Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.
Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.
We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.
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