People think of different things when they hear the word, ‘trinity’. If you’re from the south, especially Louisiana, odds are, the first thing you think of is…good food.
The expression “holy trinity” as it applies to Cajun cooking is thought to have originated with famed New Orleans chef, Paul Prudhomme, who specialized in Cajun and Creole cuisines.
Growing up, Louisiana weekends were for family, friends or get-togethers of some kind. As you can imagine these get-togethers always involved some of the best food to be had.
In my opinion there’s never a wrong time for gumbos, stews, sauce picante’s, étouffées or jambalaya. BUT in the south these are typically made during the colder months; mostly due to the heat! The last thing you wanted was a stove top heating up an already hot house. Also, these hearty meals aren’t always the best after a long days work in the heat.
Daddy used to say, “long as it isn’t a dessert, trinity just makes it better”.
What is the trinity? Quite simply onions (white or yellow,) bell pepper and celery.
The Trinity is the flavor base of not just a majority of Cajun and Creole dishes but literally the base of the culture. It is the foundation of flavor. Different dishes use the trinity in different ways but most start with it chopped or minced and sautéed, this is almost always followed with chopped or minced garlic which just melds it all together to perfection.
In dishes like meatball stew, chicken stew, gumbo’s, etc. this would be added to a Roux and in some things like soups, stews, and jambalaya it’s just the base before broth and other ingredients are added.
Traditionally in the south you also have a couple other trinities:
The Trinity of Spices – cayenne, black pepper, and when available, white pepper
and The Trinity of Herbs – oregano, bay leaf, and parsley
Throughout my career I carried on a tradition of using those lessons, tricks and tips taught to me so many decades ago by my dad and other great southerners. I tend to lean into tradition to keep things “the way they were.” In carrying on that legacy I have altered a few things like incorporating Benwood’s, my line of Certified Louisiana seasonings including the original recipe of my daddy’s, which was my first seasoning released. Benwood (the nickname my daddy carried most of his adult life) lives on in Benwood’s Surely Southern seasoning’s and sauces.
A lot has changed through the years, it’s now professionally blended and packaged and available to the public, but I’ll never forget the days of me sitting on the kitchen counter in the country watching my daddy hand mix and blend his seasoning into a zip lock bag to use for whatever meal he was making.
Although, I cherish them in my memories, having it readily available in a can for my own use and being able to share it will all of you is a long sought after dream come true and I know he would be proud.