What part of South Louisiana is most similar to North and vice versa? (New Orleans: transplants, living)

[Tom Lennox 70]

I'm originally from the New Orleans area and now live closer to Baton Rouge and have been all over South Louisiana, though the most far north I've been in the state is Pineville.

There are some people that claim certain areas in South Louisiana are culturally more like North Louisiana than South. I've heard this the most about St. Francisville, some of the Florida Parishes and portions of the Northshore (especially Tangipahoa Parish). Some people even say that about Livingston where I currently live. So how true is this? I think the Cajun influence is still very evident in Livingston Parish especially around Port Vincent and Denham Springs especially in terms of the food culture.

I also do feel there is a heavy New Orleans Creole influence in Ponchatoula and Hammond which have lots of New Orleans transplants and is officially part of the New Orleans metro.

So is it actually true that there are places in South Louisiana more like North Louisiana? What about the other way around?

And yes I've heard the "everything north of I-10 is Yankees" thing but isn't that just really about the extension of Cajun/Creole culture? I mean most of Gonzales and Prairieville is north of I-10.

[Vorpal]

I think you pretty much hit the nail on the head. Florida Parishes, Livingston, and maybe some areas of the river parishes to a lesser extent feel more like typical southern areas and have less Cajun/Creole influence.

[MrJester]

St. Tammany Parish felt very typical Deep Southern to me, not too much Cajun or Creole. Slidell or Mandeville could probably stand in for coastal Georgia or South Carolina in a movie.

[annie_himself]

I'd agree that areas like northern Livingston parish and other areas don't have much cajun or creole culture but it's still not north Louisiana.

[Tom Lennox 70]

Originally Posted by MrJester

St. Tammany Parish felt very typical Deep Southern to me, not too much Cajun or Creole. Slidell or Mandeville could probably stand in for coastal Georgia or South Carolina in a movie.

I feel the New Orleans influence is pretty deep in St. Tammany Parish, especially Covington and Mandeville. A lot of people who live in St. Tammany are transplants from New Orleans or the inner suburbs like Metairie. I'd say if you go to a local restaurant in Covington, Mandeville, or even Hammond the media would be more similar to a New Orleans restaurant than a South Carolina restaurant. I think if you go to a local restaurant in Baton Rouge or even St. Francisville the menu would be more similar to a Lafayette restaurant than a Georgia or Tennessee restaurant. I'm not sure what it would be like in Shreveport or Monroe, if you even have etoufee or gumbo or jambalaya on the menu at all.

I think Livingston Parish has a definite Cajun element especially toward Maurepas and French Settlement but its not as strong as Ascension Parish.

I'd say the Northshore has a New Orleans Creole influence but not so much of a Cajun one. Same with southern Mississippi actually.

I've never figured out whether Lake Charles is Cajun country or not. It IS the only place where I've heard Cajun French spoken by locals which is cool.

[annie_himself]

Originally Posted by Tom Lennox 70

I feel the New Orleans influence is pretty deep in St. Tammany Parish, especially Covington and Mandeville. A lot of people who live in St. Tammany are transplants from New Orleans or the inner suburbs like Metairie. I'd say if you go to a local restaurant in Covington, Mandeville, or even Hammond the media would be more similar to a New Orleans restaurant than a South Carolina restaurant. I think if you go to a local restaurant in Baton Rouge or even St. Francisville the menu would be more similar to a Lafayette restaurant than a Georgia or Tennessee restaurant. I'm not sure what it would be like in Shreveport or Monroe, if you even have etoufee or gumbo or jambalaya on the menu at all.

I think Livingston Parish has a definite Cajun element especially toward Maurepas and French Settlement but its not as strong as Ascension Parish.

I'd say the Northshore has a New Orleans Creole influence but not so much of a Cajun one. Same with southern Mississippi actually.

I've never figured out whether Lake Charles is Cajun country or not. It IS the only place where I've heard Cajun French spoken by locals which is cool.

New Orleans media is on on the northshore because it's in New Orleans' media market.
Lake Charles is in cajun country. I'd argue Orange county, Texas is too.

[Tom Lennox 70]

Originally Posted by annie_himself

New Orleans media is on on the northshore because it's in New Orleans' media market.
Lake Charles is in cajun country. I'd argue Orange county, Texas is too.

That was a typo, I mean the menus in a local restaurant in Hammond would be more similar to New Orleans than Atlanta.

[MrJester]

Originally Posted by Tom Lennox 70

I feel the New Orleans influence is pretty deep in St. Tammany Parish, especially Covington and Mandeville. A lot of people who live in St. Tammany are transplants from New Orleans or the inner suburbs like Metairie. I'd say if you go to a local restaurant in Covington, Mandeville, or even Hammond the media would be more similar to a New Orleans restaurant than a South Carolina restaurant. I think if you go to a local restaurant in Baton Rouge or even St. Francisville the menu would be more similar to a Lafayette restaurant than a Georgia or Tennessee restaurant. I'm not sure what it would be like in Shreveport or Monroe, if you even have etoufee or gumbo or jambalaya on the menu at all.

I think you might be right when it comes to food, but I like to play devil's advocate and say that St. Tammany might actually have more in common with Southern Georgia or South Carolina than with New Orleans:

1. Coastal Georgia and South Carolina have a cuisine similar to creole cuisine.
2. There are really no pine forests on the Southshore. Whereas both St. Tammany and Coastal Georgia/South Carolina are filled with pine forests.
3. St. Tammany Parish is mostly white and Republican and therefore has more in common with coastal Georgia/South Carolina, politically, than NOLA.
4. St. Tammany is really your classic Deep South suburban town indistinguishable from rural Southern Georgia or South Carolina, whereas NOLA is a colonial-era, historic tourist magnet.

[hdwell]

Tom,
Shreveport and Monroe do have étouffée, Jambalaya, and gumbo in many of their restaurants. It depends on the restaurant's specialty. Lots of BBQ up here, and seafood and fish. Not as much old style southern cooking as you would expect, but people do like that.

Mexican just about trumps everything else. Many Asian restaurants especially Sushi. If you go to the boats you won't get a great deal of local flavor. But I think most all the restaurants in SBC are pretty good.

[Lizap]

Originally Posted by MrJester

I think you might be right when it comes to food, but I like to play devil's advocate and say that St. Tammany might actually have more in common with Southern Georgia or South Carolina than with New Orleans:

1. Coastal Georgia and South Carolina have a cuisine similar to creole cuisine.
2. There are really no pine forests on the Southshore. Whereas both St. Tammany and Coastal Georgia/South Carolina are filled with pine forests.
3. St. Tammany Parish is mostly white and Republican and therefore has more in common with coastal Georgia/South Carolina, politically, than NOLA.
4. St. Tammany is really your classic Deep South suburban town indistinguishable from rural Southern Georgia or South Carolina, whereas NOLA is a colonial-era, historic tourist magnet.

Have lived on the Northshore for almost 30 years. Disagree completely that St. Tammany is like southern Georgia and SC. No way. It is very similar to Metarie in almost every way, politics, food, etc... Can't stand the food in coastal SC. - too bland and not a fan of shrimp and grits. Northern Livingston Parish and northeastern Tangipahoa Parish are kind of similar to north LA.