St. Tammany Parish

Early residents, the Choctaw and Colapissa tribes, among others, took advantage of the abundance of wild game and fresh seafood available in area bayous, rivers and lakes. Archaeological sites have unearthed large mounds of oyster shells indicating a fondness for the bivalves. Later residents, among them people of French, German, and African descent, also relied on game and the area's waterways for food, as well as the rich farmland that produced a variety of crops, including vegetables and fruits such as figs, blueberries, tomatoes, and some citrus.

The Northshore's culinary identity has been shaped by a confluence of Southern and Creole cooking, French, African, Spanish, German, and Italian ingredients and culinary traditions. The cuisine and heritage of St. Tammany parish has been impacted strongly by New Orleans and other regions of southern Louisiana.

The best of the area's cuisine is represented by the use of local ingredients, especially seafood -- fat blue crabs, salty oysters -- and a preference for depth of flavor. Local cooks are masterful with seasoning and making the most of whatever ingredient is fresh that day.