Culture of Louisiana - Food

Food

Seasonings such as Cayenne pepper, Tony Chachere's, Zatarain's are prevalent in the cuisine of Louisiana. While the state is predominantly known for its Cajun cuisine, Native American cuisine preceded their contributions.Creole cuisine is influenced by traditional French cooking with Spanish, African, and Indian influences.

Although the food most identified with the state is the Cajun and Creole food of South Louisiana, North Louisiana also has its own unique cuisine. Traditionally, southern style soul food such as smothered pork chops, chicken and dumplings, candied yams, hot water cornbread, fried chicken, macaroni and cheese, collard greens, and black-eyed peas are commonly eaten in North Louisiana. For many years, crayfish were not eaten outside of Cajun country. People north of Alexandria were more likely to eat fried chicken or barbecue. Fish fries featuring catfish took the place of crayfish boils. Today, boiled crayfish is served throughout the state.

Other foods popular in Louisiana include Gumbo, Etouffee, Jambalaya, Mufellettas, Po boys, and Red Beans and Rice (traditionally eaten on Monday). Seafood is especially popular in Louisiana either as an ingredient or as a main dish such as Shrimp, Crayfish, Crabs, Oysters and Catfish. Swamp denizens such as Gator or Alligator, Frog Legs, and Turtle Soup is popular around the bayous of south Louisiana.

Famous desserts and snacks include King Cake, beignets, Pralines, Sweet Potato pie and Pecan pie.

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Famous quotes containing the word food:

    One farmer says to me, “You cannot live on vegetable food solely, for it furnishes nothing to make bones with;” and so he religiously devotes a part of his day to supplying his system with the raw material of bones; walking all the while he talks behind his oxen, which, with vegetable-made bones, jerk him and his lumbering plow along in spite of every obstacle.
    Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)

    Life is a thin narrowness of taken-for-granted, a plank over a canyon in a fog. There is something under our feet, the taken-for-granted. A table is a table, food is food, we are we—because we don’t question these things. And science is the enemy because it is the questioner. Faith saves our souls alive by giving us a universe of the taken-for-granted.
    Rose Wilder Lane (1886–1968)

    The office of the prince and that of the writer are defined and assigned as follows: the nobleman gives rank to the written work, the writer provides food for the prince.
    Franz Grillparzer (1791–1872)