True Cajun cooking has a language all its own. This growing guide explains the words, dishes, ingredients, and techniques you’ll encounter throughout Sibley’s Smokehouse recipes.
Pronunciations are written as simple approximations. Cajun speech and cooking traditions can vary from one family and Louisiana community to another.
FROM MAMÈRE’S(scroll down for the meaning) KITCHEN
Some of the words in this dictionary come from more than recipes. They are expressions I heard growing up—part of the language, humor, and personality Mamere brought into her kitchen.
AÏE, AÏE, AÏE
(eye, eye, eye)
An expression of frustration, disbelief, weariness or exasperation—similar to “oh, Lord” or “good grief.” Its meaning often depends more on the speaker’s tone than the words themselves.
ÇA FAIT CHAUD
(sah feh SHOW)
“It’s hot.” Used when the weather, a room or something being served feels hot.
ÇA FAIT FRETTE
(sah feh FRET)
“It’s cold.” Used when the weather, a room or something being served feels cold.
COUILLON
(koo-YON)
A Cajun French word meaning “fool” or “silly one.” Depending on the speaker and tone, it can be an insult or an affectionate bit of teasing. Mamere often used it playfully as a term of endearment—the kind of word whose warmth came as much from how she said it as from the word itself.
GRADOUX
(GRAH DOO)
Dirt, grime or the layer of outdoor filth that collects after a full day of playing.
MAMÈRE
(pronounced meh-meh)
An affectionate Cajun French name for a grandmother, often associated with the family matriarch who passes down traditions, stories, and recipes.
TI-GARÇON
(tee-gar-SOHN)
Literally “little boy” in Louisiana French. An affectionate way to address a young boy or refer to the little fellow in the family.
CAJUN COOKING TERMS
These are the dishes, ingredients and techniques that give Cajun cooking its unmistakable character—each carrying a little history from the Louisiana table.
ANDOUILLE
(ahn-DOO-ee)
A coarse-ground, heavily seasoned smoked pork sausage. Andouille adds smoke, garlic, and richness to gumbo, jambalaya, beans, and other Louisiana dishes.
BOUDIN
(BOO-dan)
A Cajun sausage traditionally made with cooked pork, rice, onions, seasonings, and often pork liver. It is usually stuffed into a casing but can also be formed into boudin balls and fried.
CHOUCROUTE
(shoo-KROOT)
The French word for sauerkraut—finely shredded cabbage traditionally preserved through salt fermentation. In Sibley’s Bayou Slaw, the name is a French nod to that cabbage tradition, though the slaw is served fresh rather than fermented.
ÉTOUFFÉE
(ay-too-FAY)
From the French word meaning “smothered.” Étouffée usually features crawfish or shrimp cooked in a deeply seasoned sauce and served over rice.
FILÉ
(fee-LAY)
A powder made from dried and ground sassafras leaves. Filé adds an earthy flavor and can help thicken gumbo. It is generally added near the end of cooking or at the table.
FRICASSÉE
(free-kah-SAY)
A method in which meat is browned and then slowly cooked until tender in a rich gravy or sauce. Cajun fricassee may be made with chicken, pork, rabbit, or other meats.
GRÉMILLES
(gred-MEEZ)
The small, deeply browned pieces of meat and seasoning left in the bottom of a pot after cooking. Those flavorful bits are loosened with liquid to build a rich gravy or sauce.
GUMBO
(GUM BO)
A thick, robust, roux-based soup prepared with seafood or game and often thickened with okra or filé.
JAMBALAYA
(JUM BO LIE YAH)
A rice dish with any combination of beef, pork, fowl, smoked sausage, ham or seafood, as well as celery and green peppers. In the traditional Creole recipe, tomatoes are added.
LAGNIAPPE
(LAN-yap)
A little something extra. In a Cajun kitchen, lagniappe might be an extra helping, an added touch of seasoning, or a small gesture of hospitality.
MAQUE CHOUX
(mock-SHOO)
A traditional Louisiana corn dish made with fresh corn and its natural corn milk. Recipes vary by family but commonly include onion, bell pepper, seasonings, and sometimes bacon, cream, tomatoes, or seafood.
PAIN PERDU
(pan pair-DOO)
Literally “lost bread.” A Louisiana-style French toast traditionally made by soaking stale French bread in a mixture of eggs and milk, then frying it until golden. The name comes from rescuing bread that otherwise would have been lost or thrown away.
Po'boy
(POH BOY)
A sandwich that is always made with French bread, po'boys can be stuffed with fried oysters, shrimp, fish, crawfish, meatballs, smoked sausage and more. Gets its name from a historical sandwich costing only 5 cents for “poor boys.”
ROUX
(ROO)
Flour cooked with fat to create the foundation for gumbo, étouffée, gravies, and other dishes. A roux may range from pale blond to deep chocolate brown, depending on the flavor and dish being prepared.
TASSO
(TAH-so)
A highly seasoned and smoked cut of pork used mainly to flavor other dishes. Tasso brings smoke, salt, and spice to beans, greens, gumbo, sauces, and gravies.
TRINITY
(TRIN-ih-tee)
Onion, bell pepper, and celery cooked together as the flavor base for countless Cajun and Creole dishes. It fills a role similar to mirepoix in French cooking.
This dictionary will continue growing as new recipes and traditions are added to the Sibley’s Smokehouse table.