Tony Chachere's
Encyclopedia
Louisiana Creole cuisine
Louisiana Creole cuisine is a style of cooking originating in Louisiana which blends French, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, Greek, Asian Indian, Native American, and African influences, as well as general Southern cuisine...
seasoning created by southern Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
chef Tony Chachere. Many people refer to the seasoning simply as "Tony's" while others call it "Tony Catchers." The correct pronunciation is "sass-sure-ee's". Today, the official name of the seasoning is Tony Chachere's Original Creole Seasoning. Tony Chachere's Creole Foods began in 1972, following the success of Chachere's Cajun Country Cookbook. The company is owned by Tony's remaining descendants and is currently run by Don Chachere (President and CEO), Tony's grandson. The company now offers a variety of cookbooks, seasoning blends, dinner mixes, marinades, sauces, batters, and frozen items that are prepared with Chachere's products.
The company is based in Opelousas (in the heart of Cajun Country
Acadiana
Acadiana, or The Heart of Acadiana, is the official name given to the French Louisiana region that is home to a large Francophone population. Of the 64 parishes that make up Louisiana, 22 named parishes and other parishes of similar cultural environment, make up the intrastate...
), the seat of St. Landry Parish. The Chacheres have called Opelousas home for some generations; Tony Chachere was a pharmaceutical salesman-turned-insurance agent who built a strong regional reputation during the late 20th century for his cooking, including dishes with local seafood and wild game.
The main ingredients in the seasoning are salt
Salt
In chemistry, salts are ionic compounds that result from the neutralization reaction of an acid and a base. They are composed of cations and anions so that the product is electrically neutral...
(over 30% by weight) and red pepper
Capsicum
Capsicum is a genus of flowering plants in the nightshade family, Solanaceae. Its species are native to the Americas where they have been cultivated for thousands of years, but they are now also cultivated worldwide, used as spices, vegetables, and medicines - and have become are a key element in...
; however, garlic and other spices also contribute to the flavor.