Creole cuisine in Brazil
In Brazilian cuisine, people speak of culinária crioula to refer, in particular, to the notable influence that African cuisine (and, in a broader sense, the whole of African culture) had on colonial Brazilian society.[10] African slaves' cuisine adapted to local ingredients, such as mandioca (cassava) or milho (corn), although they also imported ingredients from the other side of the Atlantic, such as azeite de dendê (palm oil), cuscuz (couscous), the coconut, or coffee. In terms of dishes, one that has its origins in African slaves' cuisine is feijoada, which is today considered to be the national dish of Brazil.[11]
Brazilian creole cuisine is related to candomblé,[11] an Afro-American religion with its origins in the Yoruba religion, just like Cuban Santeria. In this religion, "food plays a fundamental role, since it is considered to be a link between men and the Orishas."[10] Dishes representative of candomblé are acarajé, caruru, or vatapá.[11]
Creole cuisine in Louisiana
Creole cuisine in Louisiana is influenced by African, Caribbean, French, Spanish, and American cuisines. While it shares many traits with Cajun gastronomy (both originated in Louisiana), the two differ in terms of their origins. Louisiana Creole cuisine was developed by creoles from Louisiana—in other words, Spaniards and French born in Louisiana—while Cajun cuisine originated from Cajuns or Acadians (originating from the Acadiana region) and with great influence from Creole Cuisine.
Creole cuisine in Réunion
Réunion is an island that was populated principally by French, Africans, Indians, and Chinese. This small island in the Mascarene archipelago can be found in the Indian Ocean near Madagascar and the African continent, and has long been a French territory. Reunionese cuisine is also considered to be creole, since much of its culinary tradition comes from France (such as bonbons or civet), but the ingredients used are local (from Asia and Africa) and are considered to be exotic in metropolitan France.
Mauritian Creole cuisine
The creole cuisine is eaten by every Mauritian and has its influences from African, Indian, and French cuisine. Mauritian Creole dishes typically involves the consumption of seafood, fresh vegetables, pulses, beans, and corn.
Creole cuisine in Hispanic America
Hispanic American creole cuisine fuses Spanish and indigenous elements from Spanish-speaking areas. It is prepared with key local ingredients such as potato, tomato, or corn, planted and harvested in their place of origin. Creole influence is clear in the case of Cuban, Puerto Rican, Dominican, Central American, Colombian, Ecuadorian, Venezuelan, Peruvian, Mexican, and Bolivian creole cuisine.
Cuba
Cuban creole cuisine is typically centered around beans, pork, and rice as the main ingredients.[12] In the 1850s, the emergence of Cuban cookbooks on the island began to highlight a distinct "Cuban" or "creole" cuisine.[13] In addition to making use of foreign ingredients, Cuban creole cuisine also made regular use of produce endemic to the island of Cuba, especially viandas, which are a category of carbohydrate-rich produce that include sweet potatoes, cassava, and green plantains.[13] Interestingly, besides their seeming ubiquity in Cuban creole cuisine, viandas are also known for their medicinal qualities, commonly being used to ease upset stomachs.[13]
Mexico
In Mexico, the term creole differs slightly, since it refers to agricultural products native to Mexico that are considered to be vegetable relics, meaning, fruits or vegetables that are cultivated on a local scale (typical to a particular region), following the ancient techniques that pre-Columbian societies used, without variations in the cultivar (their size, color, and flavor are all the same). Examples of this include creole corn, cacao, and chili, which are the "purest" of their cultivar types.[14]
Creole can also refer to an imported fruit or vegetable that, after adapting to the local climate, has taken on a new form entirely. One example of this is the creole peach, which is smaller in size and is sweeter, yellower, and harder than the original peach.[15] Or, in rarer cases, the term can refer to hybrid varieties.[16]
Peru
A creole cuisine has also developed along the coast of Peru, with Spanish, African, Italian, and Chinese influences.[17] One of the signature dishes of Peruvian creole cuisine is ceviche, which is prepared with fresh fish that has been cured in lemon juice. Other dishes are ají de gallina, carapulca, and tacu-tacu [es].