Jambalaya Essay

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JAMBALAYA • Jambalaya is a Creole dish brought by the Spanish to New Orleans in the late 18th century. • It is thought that the word "jambalaya" comes from the French word "jambon" mean "ham," the French words "a la," meaning "with" or "in the manner of," and the African word "ya," meaning "rice." Put the words together and they mean "ham with rice." The dish is a takeoff from the Spanish paella and is also amazingly similar to the West African dish called jollof rice. Jambalaya is a one-pot dish - most cooks prefer to cook it in cast-iron pots. • Jambalaya originated in southern Louisiana by the Cajuns around the bayou where food was scarce, as opposed to the richer part of Louisiana. • Common belief is that it originated from the Spanish Paella, which has also transformed in the United States to a dish called Spanish rice. Jambalaya is a bit different many times as it incorporates seafood, ham, link sausage rounds and chicken, although it doesn't have to have all those ingredients. • There is one rule in cooking jambalaya. After the rice has been added, jambalaya should never be stirred. Instead, it should be turned, as this prevents the grains of rice from breaking up. • There are two primary methods of making jambalaya. The first and most common style is Cajun jambalaya. The second is Creole jambalaya with includes the addition of tomatoes (also called "red jambalaya"). • Starting with church fairs, which were the largest public gatherings at the turn of the century, Jambalaya emerged from small quantity indoor cooking to become the ideal dish for outdoor cooking over hardwood fire. • Today's Jambalaya does not always contain ham, but usually has shrimp and crab meat, and may contain chicken, sausage, peppers, oysters, tomatoes, and other ingredients. • In Gonzales, Louisiana, the Jambalaya Festival

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