Creole vs. Cajun seasoning

People use these interchangeably, but they're different.

Creole seasoning is herb-heavy. Thyme, oregano, basil, bay leaf, with paprika for color and cayenne for warmth — not fire. It's a port city blend. French, Spanish, West African, and Caribbean cooking all landed in the same New Orleans kitchen. The herbs came from European traditions; the heat came from the Caribbean and West Africa.[13]

Cajun seasoning pushes the cayenne forward. Less herbs, more pepper. It comes from the Acadiana parishes west of New Orleans — rural, resourceful cooking where you season hard because you're working with what the land gives you.

Our Cajun blend leans into the cayenne side. No salt added, so you control that. See the holy trinity for how the fresh ingredients play into both traditions.

One open question: is there a meaningful difference in the ratios, or is it more about which jar you reach for first? We're still thinking about this one. If we make a Creole blend next, the herb-to-heat ratio is where the real difference will show up.