New Orleans would not be the same without the Creoles. This diverse community helped shape the culture of New Orleans from the outset, bringing influences from their various backgrounds: French, Spanish, German, African, Native American…. One of the most interesting aspects of a stay in New Orleans bed and breakfasts may be exploring the rich Creole heritage of the region, especially through the city’s food and music.
![[Portrait of Louis Armstrong, Carnegie Hall, New York, N.Y., ca. Apr. 1947] (LOC)](http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4091/4843734010_f330d5fc6b.jpg "[Portrait of Louis Armstrong, Carnegie Hall, New York, N.Y., ca. Apr. 1947] (LOC)")
Louis Armstrong in Carnegie Hall, 1947
The Creole cuisine of Louisiana features elements of West African, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Caribbean, and Indian foods; indeed, one could argue that every culture found in New Orleans has contributed to its Creole cuisine. Celery, bell peppers and onions are staples, and the vegetables are often browned, which makes them sweeter. Okra is frequently used as a base, and heat is appreciated. Creole food uses local ingredients, often shaping it into classical European recipes. Look forward to bowls of jambalaya, red beans and rice, gumbo and shrimp creole.
It is hard to distinguish the Creole influence from the rest of New Orleans music, so intertwined are the two. Edmond Dede and Lucien Lambert were two 19th century Creole New Orleans musicians who ended up working and living in France. Sydney Bechet, born in 1897, spent his youth in New Orleans before taking his music on the road. Creole music helped Louis Armstrong overcome a difficult childhood and rise to stardom. He has said “Every time I close my eyes blowing that trumpet of mine – I look right in the heart of good old New Orleans…It has given me something to live for.” (Bergreen, Laurence (1997). Louis Armstrong: An Extravagant Life.)
No stay in a New Orleans bed and breakfast would be complete without at least one night out listening to music. The most difficult thing you’ll have to decide is where to go, for music infuses the nightlife of this city. Start by asking the innkeepers of your bed and breakfast New Orleans for tips – there may be no bad music in the city, but some spots are better than others. The Apple Barrel is a good place to hear local musicians perform the blues. Chickie Wah-Wah is only open when they have a good act, so if it’s open, step inside.
New Orleans is a city that never sleeps – or at least, many of the musicians don’t seem to sleep at night. Sometimes the best music can be heard in the wee hours of the morning, as musicians congregate with friends to unwind after their sets. True music aficionados will want to experience this.
Nice article. But, Creole culture is “larger” than black and/or white or their combination. It encompasses both white and black Creole culture. I would think from this article that only a black or mixed race person could be Creole. In fact, all people who came from the original French & Spanish settlers may refer to themselves as Creole. Some are white, and others are African mixed with the French/Spanish (and other) Creoles who settled here. Here is what Wikipedia says about Louisiana Creoles:
“Louisiana Creole has different meanings when used in Louisiana. One refers to people who are descended from the colonial French, Spanish, and German settlers in Louisiana. The second refers to people with an admixture of early Louisiana European ancestry, African (mostly West African or Haitian) ancestry, and Native American ancestry indigenous to Louisiana; most often called Créole.”