I first tasted boudin during a visit to see my sister, who lived in Louisiana at the time. There are variations, but at its most basic, boudin is a combination of pork, rice, and seasonings ground together and stuffed into a pork casing that is then steamed to eat on the spot. The classic way to eat this bayou staple is straight from the casing; just place it in your mouth and suck out the filling, like squeezing toothpaste out of a tube. After sampling a variety of boudin, we returned home to Kansas City and asked my sister to ship us more. So when I was invited to Lake Charles, Louisiana, on a press visit, I knew I wanted to try more of this favorite Cajun snack food.

Read Jill’s story at Travel Awaits.