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Creole
& Cajun connection.
Agriculture
began in Mexico around 7000 B.C. at roughly the same time
as the Middle East and, when the Conquistadores arrived in
the area in 1519, they discovered many items completely unknown
to them from Aztec cuisine, such as avocados, sweet potatoes,
pineapple, papaya, chocolate, vanilla, pumpkin, squash, peanuts,
cashews, corn, beans, chillies, tomatoes and turkeys. Indeed
Montezuma's court offered over 1,000 dishes at a banquet.
Tex Mex is a modern version of traditional Mexican cuisine
mixed with Texan, based around such staples as the tortilla,
enchiladas, tacos and tostados, introducing Chilli con Carne,
Burritos, Fajitas and Chimichangas amongst others.
Creole
and Cajun cuisines derive from the same area, that is the
Missippi Delta around Louisiana and are very much centred
around the use of fresh, local produce. The Creoles are the
descendants of 17th century European settlers who came to
the area, while the Cajuns were French-Canadians who dashed
southwards when the British became dominant in Canada. Creole
food, initially operating on French flair, became influenced
by the Spanish love of strong seasonings and both Cajun and
Creole absorbed the influence of the African slaves bringing
okra, black-eyed peas and beans. Gumbo, possibly the most
famous dish of the region, was a French act of nostalgia for
Bouillabaisse, using local ingredients.
The
connection with the Caribbean is that the area was originally
settled by the peaceful Arawaks and war-like Caribs from South
America, bringing allspice, cassava and chillies. The colonial
influence followed after Colombus with input from the British,
French, Spanish and Dutch, then African slaves and finally,
Asians, especially in Trinidad.
The
other cuisines - Spanish, Greek, Turkish, Lebanese, Portuguese
- have culinary histories dating back to pre-history as empires
have risen and fallen and wars have merged cultures. The one
thing they all have in common is the love of spice and seasonings
adapted in their own style.
Source
menu2menu.com
Useful Statistical Data
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