A few days ago, I drove to LaPlace to Wayne Jacobs’ Smokehouse to buy enough andouille, smoked turkey necks, and turkey sausage for  a 40-quart pot of gumbo.

All of those supplies are destined for a turkey and andouille gumbo, to be made later this week.  On Thursday (October 6, 2011), my cooking team will be competing at the St. Charles United Way’s “Battle for the Paddle”,  a fundraising cookoff with separate jambalaya and gumbo categories.

(More than 100 teams will participate in the 2011 event; see details here.  Serving begins at 4 pm and admission is $5, all you can eat.  I’m not sure how anyone can taste 50 gumbos and 50 jambalayas, but it will be entertaining to watch people try!)

Of course, I timed my visit to Wayne Jacobs to coincide with brunch.  After a round of deep-fried andouille chips (pictured above; whoever thought of deep-fried sausage is my kind of person), I sampled the chicken and andouille gumbo (for inspirational purposes).  Mr. Bouillie devoured eggs St. John,  an andouille and french bread rendition of eggs Benedict.

On a beautiful Sunday, the restaurant was bustling, but not overcrowded.  The $6 bowl of gumbo, though a tad too salty, was thick with smoked chicken and andouille, with herbaceous file flavor balancing the spice and smoke.

Now I need to chop 10 pounds of andouille, three pounds of turkey sausage, 8 bell peppers, a bunch of celery, 6 bunches green onions, 8 pounds of onions, and four bunches of parsley.  I’m off to sharpen my knives….