Andouille and Creole Mustard Board

Walk into any old meat market in Acadiana and this is what you'll find: a case full of house-made andouille, a jar of Creole mustard on the counter, and regulars who know exactly what they came for. That's the soul of this board. No fancy charcuterie pretension. Just honest Louisiana flavors arranged for sharing.

Good andouille is everything here. You want sausage that's been smoked over pecan wood until it turns that deep mahogany color, with coarse-ground pork you can see and enough garlic and cayenne to remind you where you are. The cheap stuff from the supermarket won't do. Find a Louisiana brand or a butcher who knows what they're doing. At Lagniappe, we source ours from a family in LaPlace who's been making andouille for five generations.

The Creole mustard is sharp and grainy, made with brown mustard seeds and a hit of horseradish that clears your sinuses. It stands up to the smoke and spice of the sausage. Add some pickled okra for crunch, pecans for richness, and crusty bread to carry it all. This is the kind of spread my grandmother Evangeline would put out when company showed up unannounced. Nothing complicated, just good food arranged with generosity.