Andouillette

Andouillette is a coarse-grained sausage made with  (or occasionally, ),, , , , and seasonings. Andouillette sausage is a smaller version of the andouille sausage, generally smaller than 25 mm in diameter. It is produced both as a mild sausage ( in origin) in and as a spicier,  version (derived from the French one) that is used as an ingredient for various Cajun foods such as soups, stews and meat dishes. There are a number of versions produced that generally provide a spicy, smoky, rich, earthy flavor, which may also have a slightly sweet taste.

Ingredients and history
The original composition of "andouillette sausages" is not known and there is no record of the andouillette's composition from earlier than the nineteenth century. Nineteenth century dictionaries simply describe them as "small andouilles" (petites andouilles).

During recent decades, a range of differently composed andouillettes are or have been offered by and  producers: the principal differences concern the primary ingredients used, whether  or  or a mixture of the two. During the twenty-first century the incorporation of veal, historically the more costly meat ingredient, has been banned in response to concerns over. Some regions such as Cambrésis (the area surrounding ) and  were still including veal right up to the ban. In other regions, pork has been the only meat in an andouillette for more than a century: that is the case with the andouillette "of ", which is currently the type of andouillette most likely to be encountered in national outlets, such as, throughout France. But it seems likely that through the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, local producers were using their own unique recipes according to time and place: the recipes used by local specialised outlets continue to vary considerably.

A number of andouillettes sold as local specialities have nevertheless evolved or indeed disappeared, such as the andouillettes of which received a mention in the posthumously published Culinary Dictionary (Grand Dictionnaire de cuisine) by.

The French parliamentarian once said; "Politics is like an andouillette – it should smell a little like shit, but not too much."

Serving
In major restaurants, andouillettes can be served either hot or cold. As with all tripe sausages, andouillettes are an acquired taste. Their smell may offend people unaccustomed to the dish. The texture is somewhat rougher than sausages, as the content is coarsely cut. Primarily pan-fried (sometimes ), it can also be boiled, barbecued or grilled. The sausage is often served with vegetables in a mustard or red wine sauce. It is best served with either dry white, or.

Andouillettes today
Their popularity (particularly around, , , , Eastern and Northern France) has remained constant over the last few centuries. From the 1970s Lyon has been the centre of a fan club which rates restaurants based on the quality of their andouillettes.

Andouillette is often described on French menus as AAAAA; this acronym stands for the Association Amicale des Amateurs d'Andouillette Authentique, roughly translated as the Amicable Association of Lovers of Authentic Andouillette.