This Is Emeril Lagasse's Favorite Seasoning

We all want to be at the top of the food mountain, but only the best of the best will ever know what it feels like to scale that Mount Olympus of the culinary world, and Emeril Lagasse is one of the few who can count himself as reaching that pinnacle. According to Biography, Lagasse really started to take flight and soar in the 1990s.

The celebrity chef opened a restaurant in one of the food hubs of the United States, New Orleans, and soon found himself a Food Network star, cooking up a storm on his shows "Emeril's Essence" and "Emeril Live." But Lagasse may even be more famous for his signature catchphrase that he often says: "BAM." Per Bon Appétit, "BAM" was the result of Lagasse feeling a need to wake-up the cast and crew after a lunch break.

While we admire Lagasse's rise to fame, we are always keeping our ears perked up for his cooking tips and tricks, and love his go-to spice to season foods and get your taste buds salivating. He shared with Self that he tries to keep things simple. And while he loves a splash of lemon to give a dish a little acidity and a lot of flavor, there is a specific spice that he turns to when he wants to wake-up the flavor.

Lagasse revealed to Food Network that Creole seasoning is his secret ingredient and what he reaches for when he wants to make a dish say, "Bam!"  In fact, Creole seasoning is a critical ingredient in Lagasse's Shrimp Creole, per Food & Wine. But what exactly is Creole seasoning? Lagasse explains on his website that Creole seasoning is both savory and aromatic. It blends the flavors of paprika, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, thyme, and a little cayenne for a kick to the palate. Lagasse even shares the recipe he uses so you can make-up a batch to have on hand whenever you want to add a little something-something to your dish.

What's the difference between Creole seasoning and a Cajun seasoning? The Plain Chicken blog explains that the main difference between Creole seasoning and Cajun is that Creole uses herbs and Cajun doesn't. So, they are quite similar. And what types of foods does Creole seasoning work well with? The Cookie Rookie shares that fish and shrimp are at the top of the list. This spice blend can also add a depth of flavor to your chicken, gumbo, rice, and stews.