creole is african + spanish + french + native american.
cajun is french descendent of canada + small amount of african & native american
creole is tomato + white table cloths + fine dining + black pepper = refined cooking
cajun is
NO TOMATO + cooking outside on a burner +
red pepper = rustic cooking.
creole is tomato in your gumbo, etouffee, & jambalaya.
cajun is
NO TOMATO in your gumbo, etouffee, & jambalaya.
creole is browning your food well before 'finishing' it off.
cajun is browning your food to the point where it's almost burnt.
creole is light-skinned, fine, beautiful black women...you might think are white.
cajun is dark-skinned, thick, friendly white women...that you might think are black.
i was born in LaFourche Parish which is essentially the dividing line between Cajun Country & Creole... so I grew-up learning how to cook BOTH cuisines and more importantly, enjoying both 'styles' of women too.
all kinds of secrets in this post.
Mom uses bacon fat for her roux, but it's tricky as hell bc it will burn quick. also, we use the andouille sausage more like a seasoning... and use D&D smoked sausage as an ingredient.
the trinity = 2 parts onion, 1 part each bell pepper & celery (diced). if you can see bell pepper or celery in your gumbo, it ain't cooked down enough.
we also use a mixture of chicken stock (homemade) + shrimp & crab stock (made from the shells when we peel everything).
blond roux is OK, but you better tell experienced 'bo eaters that you made a 'white' gumbo... cause if they open the pot and see a light-colored gumbo, you're gonna get the
face.
personally, i don't mind 'white' gumbo, but it just doesn't have the depth that you get from making a super dark roux. and i agree... even though it's 'classic,' I don't like okra in my gumbo either.
what part of the boot are you from?