Nearly a quarter century ago in Vancouver, Canada, we started up a small restaurant on what is now one of the city’s trendiest and funkiest streets. Commercial Drive was once home to the working class Italian community and has never lost that small town charm. It has since morphed into a thriving diverse community representing every ethnic region of the world. We have always embraced the ethnic diversity of our neighbourhood, and therefore our restaurant, Fets Bar and Grill soon became a ministry for the flavours of the world. As we played with the flavours and spices of the world our Cajun spice was born. We use our Jerry Lee’s Cajun Spice for everything you can imagine; soups, sauces, pasta, meats and vegetables.
l">Our Jerry Lee’s Cajun Spice can be used on meats as a blackening spice, simply dredge (if you like it hot) your meat in the spice and place it in a hot skillet and cook it in the oven, no need for any oil. Some chefs like to use oil on and in everything but it’s really not necessary and without it everything is a lot healthier. Oooh, there’s that “H” word, yes; great flavoured food can be made healthy. All of our spice blends can be used in this fashion.
Louisiana is steeped in history with the music, food and language and all play an important part of the everyday life on the bayou. With it’s varied ethneticity and it’s proximity to the Caribbean makes this region as diverse edibly as it is ethnically.
The history of the Cajun people began in 17th century Canada, when a group of French settlers arrived in what is now known as the maritimes. It was originally known as Arcadia. The English uprooted them in the later half of the 18th century and about 3,00 of them settled in Louisiana where it became their New Arcadia. Louisiana was mostly untamed wilderness and due to the French sending their “undesirables”, prisoners, prostitutes and the poor it didn’t make it a desirable place for families to settle. The term “Cajun” derives from the French pronunciation of the word Acadian, “A-Cad-jin”. Over the years the Acadian settlers soon intermarried with other settlers of the region there are now nearly one half million people in Louisiana that claim to be of Cajun decent.
Outside of Louisiana the lines between Cajun and Creole cooking are somewhat blurred. Within the state the distinction is more notable, Creole dishes tend to be more sophisticated continental cuisine using local produce and seafood whereas Cajun food is more rural, more seasoned and tends to be more hearty and spicy. Meat or seafood, vegetables and rice are the staple ingredients in Cajun cooking; make it simple and spicy.
Use Jerry Lee’s Cajun Spice to add some life to your hearty family recipes. Sit back enjoy the heat and dream of sitting on the porch on Bayou with the sounds of a guitar picking.
