Caching, Boudin & Cracklins 4/5/2010

It was still kind of warm and as we said the a/c in the car was acting up but we decided to do a little caching as long as it didn't get to warm in the car. Off we went toward Lafayette and stopped in Scott, LA to get a cache at a Harley Davidson store and one at Shed's BBQ. Then we made a stop at a bead store on the way into Lafayette. Our next caches were NRV caches at the Lafayette Welcome Center under a sculpture called Miss Rose's Bar which was displayed at the World's Fair in New Orleans in 1984. The sculpture is a symbolic representation and tribute to the significant roles in African American history played by the institutions of neighborhood bars, churches and barbershops. They were all used as venues to promote community harmony during the tumultuous 1950's and 60's. It was found rusting in a field in Basile, LA in 2002 and was restored and moved to its present location.
Then we found a cache at a seafood market, 2 in a shopping center and the last one at a farm market. Then we headed back to the coach and stopped at Don's Meat Market for a couple of things. We stopped to pick up some Boudin and Cracklins. Boudin is sausage boudin (French pronunciation: [budɛ̃]) describes a number of different types of sausage used in French, Belgian, German, French Canadian, Creole and Cajun cuisine. There are many different kinds and ways to make boudin but we bought Boudin blanc: A white sausage made of pork without the blood. Pork liver and heart meat are typically included. In Cajun versions, the sausage is made from a pork rice dressing, (much like dirty rice) which is stuffed into pork casings. Rice is always used in Cajun cuisine, whereas the French/Belgian version typically uses milk, and is therefore generally more delicate than the Cajun variety. In French/Belgian cuisine, the sausage is sauteed or grilled. The Louisiana version is normally simmered or braised, although coating with oil and slow grilling for tailgating is becoming a popular option in New Orleans and Baton Rouge. Then we got some craklins also. The store we bought ours in makes and sells 1500 pounds of boudin a day. Cracklins, or cracklings, are pieces of pork fat and skin which have been deep fried so that they turn crispy and golden. There are numerous preparation techniques for cracklins with slightly different end results, ranging from very heavy, greasy chunks of food to light, fluffy pork skins. Typically, communities which continue to raise and slaughter their own pigs will also produce cracklins, which are sometimes treated as regional delicacies. Then we headed back to the coach to have lunch of boudin and cracklins. That was about it for the day as we did our logs, showered, had dinner and watched TV. So until tomorrow we love and miss you all. Mom & Dad Dori & Dick