The former Mississippi River region linked to andouille sausage in Cajun cuisine is the German Coast.
The German Coast, or Côte des Allemands, lay along the Mississippi River above New Orleans in what are now Louisiana’s River Parishes. German-speaking immigrants settled there in the 18th century and brought strong traditions of hog butchering, smoking, and sausage-making. Those practices helped shape the coarse, smoky Louisiana style of andouille.
The name andouille is French, which can cause confusion. French andouille traditionally emphasizes tripe and other intestines, while Louisiana andouille is generally made from seasoned, coarsely chopped pork and is heavily smoked. It became an important flavoring ingredient in dishes such as gumbo and jambalaya.
The German Coast is not the same as Acadiana or the entire Cajun region. It is a historically distinct Mississippi River corridor whose German, French, African, and Creole influences contributed to Louisiana foodways. LaPlace, in St. John the Baptist Parish, is especially associated with modern Louisiana andouille.