Have you ever been scared to order an item on a menu because you didn’t know what it was? Have you ever been embarrassed to ask your server? Well…don’t be!  You are denying yourself the chance to try some amazing dishes.  If you don’t know what it says on the menu always ask, that is the job of a good server.

I have provided you with a Cheat List to some typical Southern Culinary Terms. And next time, don’t forget to ask!

Andouille – A sausage made from the stomach and the intestines of pork. The sausage is dried and smoked, then boiled or steamed to finish cooking.Andouille sausage is used regularly in Creole cooking, but it is popular in French cooking as well. The Creole version of this sausage is much spicier than those made in France.

Jambalaya – A Creole version of paella, though more highly spiced. The only consistent ingredients among all of the jambalaya recipes are rice, tomatoes, peppers, and onions. Ingredients used for jambalaya are ham, oysters, chicken, Andouille sausage, duck, shrimp, and game birds.

Maque Choux – is a traditional dish of southern Louisiana. It is thought to be an amalgam of Acadian French (Cajun) and Native American cultural influence, and the name is likely to derive from the French interpretation of the Native American name. It is a simple dish that fundamentally contains corn, green bell pepper, tomatoes, onion, and sometimes garlic and celery.

Gumbo – A thick soup/stew made with meat or seafood served over plain white rice. Okra, filé powder, and roux. All methods are acceptable, and all are considered traditional.

Beignet - A French term for a type of doughnut. Dough or batter is deep fried and dusted w/sugar or glazed with a flavored syrup.

Braise - To cook slowly in a covered pan, with a small amount of liquid — can be used for meat or vegetables.

Roux - A mix of flour and oil, cooked together until the flour is browned. Used as a base for Cajun/Creole dishes such as gumbo, jambalaya and etouffé.

Jus – A rich, lightly reduced stock used as a sauce for roasted meats. Many of these are started by deglazing the roasting pan, then reduced to achieve the rich flavor desired. A jus lie is one that has been slightly thickened with cornstarch or flour.

Ragout – A French term for stew made of meat, fish, or vegetables.

Brochette – Skewers of meat, fish, or vegetables that are grilled over a flame and simply served.

Chevre - The French word for goat, generally referring to goat’s milk cheeses.

Ravigote – A vinegar sauce seasoned with minced onion, capers, and herbs, used with boiled meats or fish.

Étouffée – is a Cajun dish typically served with shellfish or chicken over rice and is similar to gumbo. It is most popular in New Orleans and in the bayou country of the southernmost half of Louisiana. In French, the word “étouffée” means, literally, “smothered.”

Dirty rice – is a traditional Cajun dish made from white rice cooked with small pieces of chicken liver or giblets, which give it a dark (“dirty”) color and a mild but distinctive flavor. Similar to a pilaf, it also includes green bell pepper, celery and onion (the “holy trinity“).

Remoulade – This classic French sauce is made by combining mayonnaise (usually homemade) with mustard, capers and chopped gherkins, herbs and anchovies. It is served chilled as an accompaniment to cold meat, fish and shellfish.