A coarsely ground, highly spiced, and extremely smoked sausage made by butchers in French-accented Louisiana, andouille is a popular ingredient in gumbo and jambalaya. It is intense enough that it is frequently combined with blander elements: cheese grits or red beans and rice, for example. The Andouille Capital of the World is LaPlace, in St. John the Baptist Parish, just west of New Orleans. The official slogan of LaPlace’s annual October andouille festival is “A Smokin’ Good Time!”