Brief Cajun History

In the early 17th century a group of French peasants settled in Acadia, Nova Scotia. Later in the mid 18th century Britain acquired Canada forcing the loyal French settlers to leave. Most of these settlers managed to migrate to south Louisiana, where their descendants still live. These descendants are called Cajuns. The most popular explanation of the name is that the local Indians could not pronounce Acadians properly, hence the term “Cajuns”.

Cajun cooking was influenced by many sources. In fact many of the same sources as the “Creole” influences. I am frequently asked, “What is the difference between Cajun and Creole cooking?” This is a difficult question to answer because of the many similarities. Especially now, the styles of living and cooking are very similar.

The main differences in cooking styles are that the first Cajuns did most of their cooking in one pot, while the Creoles had more facilities for cooking and there was money available for more elegant and diverse styles. Because of a greater Spanish influence Creoles used more red sauces their cooking and less dark roux. These differences in style still exist today in many respects, but the styles are getting closer and closer together all the time.

Food is more than just a means to survive; it has become an integral part of the lifestyle and culture of Louisiana. It is said that most people eat to live but in Louisiana, we live to eat. When you combine that with the rich heritage, and the great music, what you get is a people with a joy for life – You get a party!