Cajun is an indigenous group comprising of Acadian exile descendants from Canada and other ethnicities that intermarried with the Acadians. Today, Cajuns mainly live in the state of Louisiana in the USA. A large portion of the population of south Louisiana comprise of Cajuns. Cajun has a unique culture and food that has made an enormous influence on Louisiana State’s culture. This paper discusses the unique culture and food of the Cajuns.
Cajun culture and food has been influenced by a diverse natural and multiethnic environment to large extend. Cajun food ingredients comprises of local ingredients that are readily available. Some of the ingredients include; pork, poultry and beef which were produced in small farms. Cajuns also grew greens, corn, okra, chayote, peppers and seasoning vegetable which are part of the ingredients of Cajun food. Hunting and gathering and fishing also provided some ingredients for example crab, crawfish, shrimp, alligator, turtle squirrel, venison and other game. Over time, crawfish has been regarded as a symbol of Cajun food and is a highly valuable ingredient in non-traditional Cajun foods such as crawfish pizza and crawfish Newburg. In the past, Cajuns had to competent in the different environments in order to acquire these ingredients. However, today most ingredients are readily available in grocery stores.
The aesthetics of cooking traditional Cajun food requires that the food should have a strong and intense flavor. The strong and intense flavoring comes from using seasoning vegetables such as bell pepper, onion, celery and garlic. The strong flavoring also comes from browning of ingredients. Sauce-based dishes such gumbo begin with a roux that is flour-based which is slowly browned into a murky color. Hot peppers such as cayenne intensifies flavor. The quantity of hot pepper used varies across the region. Cajun food is cooked for a long time. For example rice is simmered several hours until its ingredients breakdown. Major dishes of Cajuns involve combining a multi-ingredient, flavorful item with rice which is their staple food. Gumbo, sauce piquant, fricassee jambalaya and etouffee are served with rice.
Cajun culture has several community food events such as cochon de laits, boucheries, rural Mardi Gras and other festivals that are dedicated to certain foods. Although both women and men cook in Cajun culture, men are the star cooks in large social gatherings Most Cajun food events are dedicated to Cajun food as prepared cuisines or essential ingredients for example gumbo, crawfish, boudin, rice, and shrimp among others. In traditional boucheries festivals, families butchered hogs in turns and then distribute or cook the meat. In modern boucheries festivals, families butcher a hog which is cleaned and then cooked into a variety of dishes including cracklings, boudin sausages, hogshead cheese, chaudin, backbone stew, and rice dressing. Cochon de laits festival involves roasting a pig. Rural Mardi Gras on the other hand is a festival that entails gathering the required ingredients for gumbo such as chicken by riding trucks or horses from one house to another begging for these ingredients. Other community food events are food preparation demonstration and eating contests.
In conclusion, Cajun food represents a large part of the Acadians culture. In the Cajun culture, food is always the center of attention. Most festival of the Cajun communities is centered on food. Cajun food is enjoyed by local Acadians and non-Acadians alike.
Works Cited
Bernard, Shane K. The Cajuns: Americanization of a people. illustrated. Mississippi: Univ. Press of Mississippi, 2003.
Valdman, Albert . French and Creole in Louisiana. revised. Chicago: Springer, 2005.
