Voodoo Crab

Cajun Cuisine are characteristically bold, smoky and full of spice, owing to its liberal mix of paprika, cayenne, garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, oregano, cayenne, salt and ground pepper: “Cajun spice”, as we know it. It’s the culmination of centuries of influences, originating with the French Acadian (“cajun” being a corruption of Acadian), who were expelled from Nova Scotia in the 18th century and made their way to the then-French territory of Louisiana. There they adapted their preferences with that of the Native Americans, Afro-Caribbeans and Spanish in the area, applying their spice with “the trinity” to create their hallmark dishes. It’s a rural cuisine, borne from necessity and local ingredients, and is best exemplified by crawfish and “one pot” dishes such as gumbo.

Creole Cuisine, in contrast, is the cuisine of the wealthy aristocrats of New Orleans, influenced by French culinary traditions such as cream and butter-based sauces, fine ingredients, and a preference for seafood. Also utilizing the trinity, Creole focuses on refined cooking and elaborate presentations. It is the cuisine of the Antoine’s, Galatoire’s and Commanders Palaces.

The Trinity is the Cajun name for the French culinary base of mirepoix; sauteed onions, bell peppers and celery that is used as a staple ingredient in gumbo, jambalaya and more.

Mardi Gras traces its North American roots to 1699, when French explorers arrived to the area and named it Pointe du Mardi Gras upon realizing they arrived the day before the holiday symbolizing the day before Lent, when rich, fatty foods were consumed as a last indulgence before the fasting period (Mardi Gras translated to “Fat Tuesday”). Settlers slowly brought their customs to the region, which included masked balls, elaborate feasts and street parties (no word on if they included beads and, um, certain exchanges to procure them. Ok, more on that later). The Louisiana Purchase of 1803 folded in Spanish, African and emerging American influences and by the mid 1800s, the celebration became more organized. The first parade came in 1837; the tradition of Krewes (social organizations that sponsor balls) in 1857 and through the krewes came elaborate themes, grand spectacles and the general spirit and traditions of the event that last until today. Symbolic colors emerged (purple for justice, green for faith, gold for power) and “throws” (the aforementioned beads) and masked parties become popular. The emergence of New Orleans jazz gave the festivities its verve. Ultimately it’s an egalitarian holiday- the tradition of costumes emerging to allow people to mingle freely regardless of status- in fact parade riders are legally required to wear masks!

Paul Prudhomme is an actual dead chef revered for bringing both the Creole and Cajun cuisine of Louisiana to the popular lexicon. Louiiana cooking to the forefront. After leaving his post as executive chef at vaunted Commander’s Palace (who then elevated native Massachusettsan Emeril Lagasse), Prudhomme opened K-Paul, which put New Orleans on the culinary map and highlighted many of the dishes you’ll see tonight.

“Pat O’Brien’s” Hurricane is the namesake cocktail of the must-visit New Orleans courtyard bar, a raucous scene during Mardi Gras or not. During WWII, when whisky was rationed and rum became abundant, liquor distributors required bars to purchase large amounts of rum in order to access the more sought-after spirits. To deal with the surplus, Pat O’Brien’s created the fruity cocktail now co-synonymous, along with the ritzier Sazerac of the Roosevelt Hotel, with the Crescent City. While the name’s origin may seem obvious, it was actually named so because it was first served in a glass shaped like a hurricane lamp. Sweet and tropical, combining light and dark rums, passion fruit juice, lime juice, and sugar… it can be said it helped usher in the age of tiki drinks.

Oysters Rockefeller was created in 1899 by Jules Alciatore, scion of the seminal Antoine’s Restaurant, now one of the oldest in the city. Developed during a shortage of escargot, Jules sought a luxurious substitute, choosing oysters and naming the dish after John D. Rockefeller, then the wealthiest man in America. Better ring to it than “Oysters Musk”, in our opinion. Antoine’s recipe being a secret, all anyone else can hope for are close approximations. Today the dish exemplifies innovation and the contrast of the more elegant Creole cuisine to the more down and dirty Cajun style. Since its invention, Antoine’s claims to have sold more than 3.5M oysters, and the dish has been said to inspire other staples such as Clams Casino.

Crab Cakes originated in Chesapeake Region (famous for  "crabcakes and football" , we’re told) before making its way down the coast and given the cajun/creole treatment, which is to say a bold seasoning blend of paprika, cayenne, garlic powder onion powder and pepper and often served with a remoulade. Given the Gulf of Louisiana's (hey, why not?) steady supply of fresh crab, the region’s take on the dish has become a solid canvas for Cajun influence.

Gumbo is symbolic of the Cajun style’s penchant for “one pot” pot cooking, emerging in the late 18th century as a literal melting pot of French, Spanish, African and Native American influence. The name “gumbo” itself derives from the West African term for okra, reflecting its early use as a thickener. The French added Roux, the mixture of flour and fat used to thicken sauces, the Spanish seafood, rice and spices and the Choctaw tribe file powder for use as a flavoring agent. Tonight’s dish is more of the Creole variety than Cajun, favoring a lighter roux, seafood and tomatoes (whereas a Cajun preparation is darker, with a deep brown roux and no tomatoes). It’s a communal and festive dish, inspiring, like many other dishes of the region, its own festivals and a certain civic pride… and maybe more than a few family grudges over whose gumbo is better.

Jambalaya is another “one pot” dish and a hallmark of both Cajun and Creole cuisines, utilizing the Cajun trinity. The story claims “jambalaya” comes from a mashup of “jean” (a cook), “balayez” (to mix), and “ya” from African languages. One of those “each family has a recipe, no two recipes the same” dishes, jambalaya is different from gumbo in that the latter is a stew over rice, whereas jambalaya has rice in the pot. Tonight’s jambalaya, using pasta as the starch, is a now-popular twist on the original idea.

Crawfish Boils, also called crayfish boils, are rooted in the Native American Houma tribe, who used nets full of reeds to catch the little crustaceans before boiling them with local herbs for communal meals. French Cajuns adopted the practice, which evolved in the 20th century to become a social tradition, especially after development of commercial crawfish farming in 1960s Louisiana made things more accessible. Often called “mini lobsters”, crawfish are actually of freshwater origin instead of ocean-dwelling lobsters. Today a whole culture has evolved around crawfish boils, making it sort of akin to BBQ culture and spawning festivals and contests (the record for largest boil being 58,000 pounds in a single event), especially during Mardi Gras. Oh, and just so you look the part: hands-on, twist the tail, peel the shell, eat the meat and suck the head!

Blackened Catfish is a Cajun dish and thus bold, smoky, spicy. Originally made from redfish, catfish became popular due to its abundance in the area, which is what Chef Prudhomme used to popularize the blackening technique- coating the fish with melted butter and a blend of cajun spices, then searing it in a hot casti-rion skillet. “Blackening” is never actually “burned” despite its appearance, rather it is a crust… and today a hallmark of southern cooking.

Red Beans and Rice is a quintessential Creole dish reflective of the blend of African, French, Spanish and Caribbean (via African) influences. Dating back to the introduction of red kidney beans in the 1800s by refugees of the Haitian Revolution, the dish was traditionally made on Mondays, “laundry day”, when housewives could simmer the dish on the stove for hours with minimal attention while tending to chores, using leftover ham or sausage from the Sunday’s meal. To this day, many neighborhood restaurants and schools serve it as a Monday lunch or dinner special. Another “one pot” dish, it is known to be Louis Armstrong’s favorite food.

King Cake is a cinnamon roll-like cake commonly served during Mardi Gras, often topped with purple, green and gold-colored icing to reflect the colors of the holiday. The cake’s origin has religious undertones (as does Mardi Gras, of course), often associated with Epiphany, the celebration of the Twelfth Night after Christmas and sometimes called “bake cake”, owing to a figurine representing baby Jesus being

Abita is a native Louisiana brewery founded in 1989, priding itself on using water from artesian wells. Its flagship amber lager is a Munich style variety exhibiting a smooth, malty, and slightly caramel flavor.