Andouille (ahn-doo-ee): Heavily spiced pork sausage used in a wide variety of dishes, including gumbo, jambalaya, and red beans and rice.
Beignet (ben-yay): Light, square donut, deep-fried and served warm with a heavy dusting of powdered sugar. Generally served with cafe au lait, a half-and-half mixture of coffee and hot milk.
Boudin (boo-dan): Blend of pork, rice and spices stuffed into a sausage casing. Typical throughout Cajun Country and often very spicy.
Crawfish (craw-fish): Freshwater crustaceans that resemble tiny lobsters and are a staple of Louisiana cooking. Tastiest during their natural harvesting season from March to June.
Crawfish Boil: Traditional Louisiana food event that is popular during crawfish season. Crawfish are boiled with Cajun spices, corn on the cob, new potatoes, and other vegetables. When ready, the pot is dumped onto a table covered in newspaper and diners eat directly from the pile. To eat a boiled crawfish, grasp the head in one hand and the base of the tail in the other, twist slightly and pull. Locals relish sucking the spicy juices from the head. Peel away the shell from the tail and pinch the end to release the succulent tail meat.
Etouffee (ay-too-fay): Crawfish stew made from a base of butter and flour and the “Holy Trinity” of onions, celery and green bell peppers. Classic etouffee gets its red color from the fat of the crawfish, though some versions use tomato.
Gumbo: (gum-boh): Thick soup served with rice. Common throughout Louisiana. Though ingredients run the gamut, classic Creole versions feature seafood and okra, while Cajuns add file (dried ground sassafras leaves), andouille sausage, chicken, and/or game.
Jambalaya (jum-buh-lie-ah): Rice dish made variously with sausage, chicken and/or seafood. Creole jambalaya gets its reddish coloring from tomatoes. Cajun versions feature pan-browned meat and/or game.
Muffuletta (muf-uh-lot-uh): Toasted sandwich of Sicilian origin, featuring layers of Italian cold cuts and green olive salad piled onto a thick, plate-sized sesame-seed bun. Sold in full, half and quarter sizes.
Po’ boy (poh-boy): Hearty sandwich served on locally baked French bread. Ingredients run the gamut but classics include fried seafood—shrimp, oysters or catfish—and thinly sliced roast beef with peppery gravy. Po’ boys come “dressed” with lettuce and tomato or plain.
