First you start with a roux, but that's only the beginning. Since the settlement of northwest Louisiana in 1714, the founding of New Orleans four years later, and Acadians' arrival in Southwest Louisiana, the state's cuisine has grown to incorporate bountiful harvests and the rich cultural heritages of its diverse people. As French, Spanish, African, Irish, German, Italian, and Native American cooks brought their cultures' unique ingredients and techniques to the gumbo pot, they eventually created Louisiana's most beloved Cajun and Creole dishes. Like every great culinary tradition, Louisiana's is evolving by incorporating fresh Asian and Hispanic influences.