QUESTION: I have some recipes that call for Cajun seasoning. I also have some recipes that call for Creole seasoning. Is there a difference, and are they interchangeable? If not, can you please send me recipes so I can make my own Cajun and Creole spice mixes? Thanks. ANSWER: If you want to find out if Creole and Cajun are interchangeable, all you need to do is go to good ole' south Louisiana and mention that you believe there's no difference. I will try to send the Seventh Calvary as fast as possible to save you from winding up in some Creole gumbo or Cajun sausage. So yeah, there is a difference.These days some people use them interchangeably, but if they understood the evolution of these two cuisines, they would understand that they are on opposite ends of the menu.Let's begin with the Creoles — they are the city dwellers. Originally the term Creole was not reserved for residents of New Orleans, but today the best way to describe a "true Creole" is a New Orleans native whose heritage includes the Native Americans, French, Spanish, African, Italians and others who settled the city. This melting pot is best illustrated through the food that developed when all these collided.As you might know, bouillabaisse is a soup/stew that came from France. The Africans brought okra from their home soil, and the Native Americans introducing new ingredients like file powder and bay leaves. At this intersection of cultures there was a three-car wreck and gumbo came stumbling out.The Spanish had paella; the Germans knew all forms of Charcuterie or sausage making, and the African Americans were the best cooks — jambalaya came tumbling out of this three-car wreck. Hopefully we won't have to have another wreck to illustrate this culinary merger, but as you can see, Creole is a cuisine that developed by drawing from all these ethnic backgrounds with particular influence from the African Americans who were not only the cooks at home, but also the cooks in professional kitchens.Now Cajun came from the French speaking Acadians — folks originally banished from France who then fled to Nova Scotia. They were kicked out of Nova Scotia in the early 1700s and eventually settled in rural southwest Louisiana. While the Creoles were cosmopolitan, the Cajuns throughout their history were fairly isolated. They were great farmers, fisherman, and hunters and truly lived off the land. Creole food was served in restaurants from its earliest days, but Cajuns served country food, often one-dish meals, not found on public menus until midway through the last century.In looking for seasoning mix recipes, I can see where you might think the two are interchangeable because they originated in the same part of the country. But Cajun cuisine is spicier and incorporates a lot more hot peppers than Creole. In Creole seasoning, you will find more herbs and more subtle flavors, whereas in Cajun dishes you will find their "holy trinity": cayenne pepper, white pepper and black pepper. Also, you will see paprika, which is obviously made from a pepper and is traditional in a lot of seasoning mixes.I am sharing a recipe for each cuisine — now you just need to experiment and, as they say in the Crescent City, Laissez Les Bon Temps Roulez! If you use these mixes on a regular basis, you will use them up before they lose their kick. You will find many variations of these seasoning mixes, and there is no right or wrong formula for either one. In fact, I am hoping you will experiment and come up with your own Crajun seasoning. If you are interested in blackening all those red fish you keep catching, I would use the Cajun recipe for your blackening spice mix.Now that you've stirred up trouble down south by confusing Creole and Cajun, you could always go to Texas and shout, "Where are the beans in this chili?" Or go to the Carolinas and ask, "Why aren't there any tomatoes in my barbeque sauce?" Or come to Philly and say, "Gravy is always brown or white."Good luck and stay out of trouble. The seventh Calvary is getting overextended.

2 tablespoons kosher salt2 tablespoons paprika1 tablespoon garlic powder1 tablespoon white pepper1 tablespoon black pepper2 tablespoons cayenne pepper2 teaspoons oregano2 teaspoons thyme1 teaspoon sageCombine all ingredients well and store in an airtight container.

1 tablespoon granulated garlic1 tablespoon onion powder1½ teaspoons black pepper1½ teaspoons dried oregano1½ teaspoons ground bay leaves1 tablespoon dried thyme2 teaspoons paprika2 tablespoons kosher salt1 teaspoon dried rosemary1 teaspoon chili powderCombine all ingredients well and store in an airtight container.