......because my good friend and cardiologist said I probably wasn't going to die as soon as expected, I celebrated by taking wife and oldest daughter on a long day trip (700 Mi RT) to Scott, La, the official Boudin Capital of the World.

I had been there before, as reported in here, but we made a more determined assault this time and tried almost all the known places around and some that weren't so well known.

Scott is a community on the NW side of Lafayette and is easily accessed off of I-10 or from I-49 take La 93 S directly to the heart of boudin country.

Most people know, and the ones that don't probably don't care, but boudin is a sausage that is made from various proportions of rice, pork, spices, onions, etc. depending on the usually "family" recipe that the maker users all stuffed in a pig gut. For homemade, deer could be substituted or mixed with the pork. Depending on how it's cooked and whether smoked or not, some people eat the gut and some kind of squeeze it like a lollipop. Traditionally, boudin is a cajun snack food usually sold in almost every gas station, and old style grocery store in S. La. Typically sold by a single link, it usually costs about $3.75-$4.75/pound. Most single links weigh about 6-8 oz.

What is surprising is that we tried 6 different places this time and they were all good or better BUT they were all Different. We tried, then if we liked it, would go back and stock up for home and to take some back to friends.

Because our crowd, wife, daughter, and I, didn't agree completely, I am just going to give a general summation of their products and hope that my, ummmm....faithful (or maybe not), readers will have the chance to decide for themselves.

First stop, because we were going S on La 93 was one I skipped last time because I drove past it before I realized it was a boudin mecca, Romero's Grocery. There is a site that evaluates the top places for boudin in Scott area and they really downgrade Romero's. IMO and that of my daughter, they are dead wrong. The boudin was different, very soft, and had a fair amount of green onion it it. We loved it and would put it among if not the top "regular" boudin we tried. By regular, I mean the traditional boudin which is steamed or even boiled and served hot. The other way, which is equally popular is to smoke it. I don't know whether they use a slightly different mix for the smoked version, which seems unlikely, but they really taste different. Romero's had only regular boudin. Different texture than most, softer, mushier, but REALLY good IMO.

On down the road a mile or so is the widely known and extremely busy, Best Stop Supermarket, which has a large selection of Cajun goodies, besides their boudins, including tasso, andouille sausage, alligator, alligator sausage, etc. They must be doing something right because they sell an AMAZING 10,000 pounds of boudin/week. We ordered both their smoked, regular, and boudin balls for our first tasting. We liked both, and the boudin had a little more pepper than the others we tried. My wife called the reg. boudin here the best of the bunch. Both were good, and the boudin balls (boudin stuffing formed into a ball and fried, sometime with a batter and sometimes not) were excellent. Absolutely the best we tried of the regular boudin balls.

Next stop, Billy's Boudin and Cracklin's, which is just South of I-10 facing on La 93. Last time I really liked Billy's and all their products are good or better. We thought their smoked boudin was the best of the 3 we tried. (in order of taste preferences Billy's, Best Stop, and a distant 3rd, Don's). They also have a crawfish boudin, balls, etc which are quite good. We thought their reg. boudin was good but not as good as some others. They have a pepperjack cheese boudin ball which will knock your socks off. I loved it but decided they wouldn't travel well, so just enjoyed one while there. Highly recommended.

Next stop, Don's Meat Market, about 1/2 mile E on the I-10 S. frontage road, which advertises itself as picked best 11 years in a row, by whom we are not sure. We thought both products were the worst we tried, but, they weren't bad, just not as good, to our tastes as the others.

Next we drove a couple of miles W on Hwy 90 to the small community of Duson, La to the small, old and 100% authentic Cajun grocery, Menard's. Didn't have smoked, and I, the only one of the three, thought their boudin was WONDERFUL. I think the other wanted more spices and I agree that a bit spicier would make it so addicting that leaving would be impossible outside of a casket. It had a much higher proportion of pork in it. I loved it. Well worth going the small distance out of your way.

This trip, we skipped the only other well known local boudin spot, Early's Supermarket, which has good boudin but IMO not as good as some we tried, so having 350 mi to drive back home, we skipped it and went back and loaded up on our favorites.

However, after leaving Scott, we pulled into Cormier's, a typical cajun grocery in Cankton, La, a few miles N of Scott on 93, which we drove by on 93 on way to Scott. Not expecting much, but we ordered a link to try. WOW! at least 50% larger in diameter than the norm, and really fine.

Boudin would be an easy sausage to make at home, and we've done it before, with mixed success, but now with our new tasting knowledge, we're going to try to make some at home soon. I would suggest less rice and more pork/meat and spices than most recipes call for.

For another day, we're saving a trip to Broussard, just S of Lafayette, and the former "Boudin Capitol of the World, but now going by the self proclaimed title of "Intergalactic Boudin Capital of Positive Infinity".

Not to be left out is Jennings, a berg between Lake Charles and Lafayette on I-10, and self claiming the not insignicant title of ""Boudin Capital of the Universe,".

It's going to be hard to skip Scott but in the interest of boudin science, we'll try one of the others next time.

quote:

Originally posted by Gatogordo:
......because my good friend and cardiologist said I probably wasn't going to die as soon as expected, I celebrated by taking wife and oldest daughter on a long day trip to Scott, La, the official Boudin Capital of the World.

I had been there before, as reported in here, but we made a more determined assault this time and tried almost all the known places around and some that weren't so well known.

Scott is a community on the NW side of Lafayette and is easily accessed off of I-10 or from I-49 take La 93 S directly to the heart of boudin.

Most people know, and the ones that don't probably don't care, but boudin is a sausage that is made from various proportions of rice, pork, spices, onions, etc. depending on the usually "family" recipe that the maker users all stuffed in a pig gut. Depending on how it's cooked and whether smoked or not, some people eat the gut and some kind of squeeze it like a lollipop. Traditionally, boudin is a cajun snack food usually sold in almost every gas station, and old style grocery store in S. La. Typically sold by a single link, it usually costs about $3.75-$4.75/pound. Most single links weigh about 5-6 oz.

What is surprising is that we tried 6 different places this time and they were all good or better BUT they were all Different. We tried, then if we liked it, would go back and stock up for home and to take some back to friends.

Because our crowd, wife, daughter, and I, didn't agree completely, I am just going to give a general summation of their products and hope that my, ummmm....faithful (or maybe not), readers will have the chance to decide for themselves.

First stop, because we were going S on La 93 was one I skipped last time because I drove past it before I realized it was a boudin mecca, Romero's Grocery. There is a site that evaluates the top places for boudin in Scott area and they really downgrade Romero's. IMO and that of my daughter, they are dead wrong. The boudin was different, very soft, and had a fair amount of green onion it it. We loved it and would put it among if not the top "regular" boudin we tried. By regular, I mean the tradition boudin which is steamed or even boiled and served hot. The other way, which is equally popular it to smoke it. I don't know whether they use a slightly different mix for the smoked version, which seems unlikely, but they really taste different. Romero's had only regular boudin. Different texture than most, softer, mushier, but REALLY good IMO.

On down the road a mile or so is the widely known and extremely busy, Best Stop Supermarket, which has a large selection of Cajun goodies, besides their boudins, including tasso, andouille sausage, alligator, alligator sausage, etc. They must be doing something right because they sell an AMAZING 10,000 pounds of boudin/week. We ordered both their smoked, regular, and boudin balls for our first tasting. We liked both, and the boudin had a little more pepper than the others we tried. My wife called the reg. boudin here the best of the bunch. Both were good, and the boudin balls (boudin stuffing formed into a ball and fried, sometime with a batter and sometimes not) were excellent. Absolutely the best we tried of the regular boudin balls.

Next stop, Billy's Boudin and Cracklin's, which is just South of I-10 facing on La 93. Last time I really liked Billy's and all their products are good or better. We thought their smoked boudin was the best of the 3 we tried. (in order of taste preferences Billy's, Best Stop, and a distant 3rd, Don's). They also have a crawfish boudin, balls, etc which are quite good. We thought their reg. boudin was good but not as good as some others. They have a pepperjack cheese boudin ball which will knock your socks off. I loved it but decided they wouldn't travel well, so just enjoyed one while there. Highly recommended.

Next stop, Don's Meat Market, about 1/2 mile W on the I-10 S. frontage road, which advertises itself as picked best 11 years in a row, by whom we are not sure. We thought both products were the worst we tried, but, they weren't bad, just not as good, to our tastes as the others.

Next we drove a couple of miles W on Hwy 90 to the small community of Duson, La to the small, old and 100% authentic Cajun grocery, Menard's. Didn't have smoked, and I, the only one of the three, thought their boudin was WONDERFUL. I think the other wanted more spices and I agree that a bit spicier would make it so addicting that leaving would be impossible outside of a casket. It had a much higher proportion of pork in it. I loved it. Well worth going the small distance out of your way.

This trip, we skipped the only other well known local boudin spot, Early's Supermarket, which has good boudin but IMO not as good as some we tried, so having 350 mi to drive back home, we skipped it and went back and loaded up on our favorites.

However, after leaving Scott, we pulled into Cormier's, a typical cajun grocery in Cankston, La, a few miles N of Scott on 93, which we drove by on 93 on way to Scott. Not expecting much, but we ordered a link to try. WOW! at least 50% larger in diameter than the norm, and really fine.

Boudin would be an easy sausage to make at home, and we've done it before, with mixed success, but now with our new tasting knowledge, we're going to try to make some at home soon.

For another day, we're saving a trip to Broussard, just S of Lafayette, and the former "Boudin Capitol of the World, but now going by the self proclaimed title of "Intergalactic Boudin Capital of Positive Infinity".

Not to be left out is Jennings, a berg between Lake Charles and Lafayette on I-10, and self claiming the not insignicant title of ""Boudin Capital of the Universe,".

Truly a great road trip.

I need to do one soon. My buddy in Houston is out of the country or Imwould be doing this trip in a week,

Mike

Man you are making me homesick! Have not been down there in quite a while, I depend on my sister to bring me a care package once in a while.

Did you get some Mello-Joy coffee and blackberry pies while you were at Best Stop???

Not familiar with the coffee and we didn't try the pie. My wife makes superior blackberry pies, and, since this is the season, more or less, we have had several lately, but I will keep it in mind.

It will be a while, but I intend to at least go by either Jennings or Broussard next trip.

I've really wanted to try Johnson's Boucaniere in Lafayette, both last trips, but they close at 3 PM and being full of boudin, haven't been able to make the times work out, yet.

Try Nunu"s in Youngsville. It is only a couple of miles from Broussard. It is my favorite.

quote:

Originally posted by MikeBurke:
Try Nunu"s in Youngsville. It is only a couple of miles from Broussard. It is my favorite.

Will do if the creek don't rise.....Thanks.

What the Hell is Boudin ? Frogs up here created Poutine, sound similar, it's french fries drowned in gravy with cheese curds. Much improved with bacon pieces.

Grizz

http://donsspecialtymeats.com/what-is-boudin/

A truly delicious combination of rice, ground pork, and flavorful seasonings stuffed into sausage casings, Boudin remains one of the most unique American sausages and regional specialties of Louisiana's cajun culture. We take passion in our recipe and offer several Boudin variants in addition to our traditional Boudin link.

quote:

Originally posted by Gatogordo:

quote:

Originally posted by MikeBurke:
Try Nunu"s in Youngsville. It is only a couple of miles from Broussard. It is my favorite.

Will do if the creek don't rise.....Thanks.

If you go to NuNu's, drive another 20 minutes to Schucks in Abbeville. Best oysters and seafood gumbo around.

If it wasn't the wrong season, I'd be on the way right now. I love good raw oysters and, if I had a dime for everyone I've eaten could probably buy one of Beretta's Teslas.

You're killin' me, here.... I'm now well away from Boudin country!

I made its' acquaintance while stationed at Ft. Polk, LA back in the early 80's. (Yes, everything you've heard is true!) The little country stores out in the boonies often had a crock-pot with steaming-hot boudin near the register, and every time I tried it, it was great... BUT...

One cold November day, a friend and I were out scouting a possible hunting area, and got caught in a heavy, cold rain, quite a ways from the truck. Made it back to the truck, which had a thoroughly inadequate heater. That usually wasn't much concern, in the Deep South, but we were well-chilled!

Passed a small country store, pulled in and they had the requisite Boudin... and to this day, it was one of the best meals I've ever eaten! Warmed us right up, and definitely ended the day on a positive note!!

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a craving to deal with...
:-)

John

quote:

Originally posted by Gatogordo:
If it wasn't the wrong season, I'd be on the way right now. I love good raw oysters and, if I had a dime for everyone I've eaten could probably buy one of Beretta's Teslas.

With refrigeration oysters are good year round. I still prefer them in season as in months with "R"s.

quote:

Originally posted by MikeBurke:

quote:

Originally posted by Gatogordo:
If it wasn't the wrong season, I'd be on the way right now. I love good raw oysters and, if I had a dime for everyone I've eaten could probably buy one of Beretta's Teslas.

With refrigeration oysters are good year round. I still prefer them in season as in months with "R"s.

I am not arguing "good" as in healthy, but generally speaking warmer month/water oysters are more watery, have less taste than those from cooler waters. I usually find the best raw oysters to be in February, March, and into April. Of course, there are exceptions, I've had great Gulf oysters in July, but I'm not sure why. During my years in NO I bet I ate at least a thousand dozen oysters, many of them at Felix's which I haven't been to in, oh, at least 35 years.

Update:

A new cajun grocer has opened in Texarkan, AR since I posted the original to this thread. Lagnaippe Specialty Meats, 1210 Jefferson, Texarkana Ark. (Jefferson has an exit off of I-30, which is E (Ark side) of Stateline Ave.

Lagniappe only sells boudin in a pack which can be microwaved or steamed. Very good, with a pork and liver flavor. Also has many typical Cajun specialties such as stuffed chicken, pork chops, etc. '

Not far away is The Fish Bowl which serves primarily fried catfish and frog legs. Also Highly recommended.

Also the next exit W (Stateline) go N just a bit to Naaman's Barbecue, really fine, and should have made top 50 list IMO.