Yes, it’s a Shramp’douille. Shrimp and pork forced into a sausage casing with seasonings and smoked until fully cooked and delicious. “Why in the hell?” might be an  appropriate question. Glad you asked.

It all started a few years ago back in New Orleans. I love Southern Louisiana, not just for it’s food; the fishing is world class. It’s rich in history, and the people, well they are just slightly different from folks here in Northern California. Maybe different from many places I’ve been, and that’s precisely what makes New Orleans special. As usual, much of this trip was centered around finding authentic cajun/creole cuisine. Sometimes this approach works out perfectly, and sometimes it can be a test of nerves staring at a plate that doesn’t appear in any travel magazines. For the most part, this trip didn’t register any gastric anomolies, except for a late night bowl of something green and slimey, served on a balcony down in The Quarter. When I refused the supposed Jambalaya, the waiter replaced it and told me “Chef been servin’ dat to tourists all night, you’re the first to say sumpthin”. The replacement was niether green nor slimey, had the prerequisites of recognizable andouille sausage, shrimp and rice. Stomach distress averted.

We moved from our accomondations down in The Quarter after a couple of days. The quaintness of the stable house converted to a whorehouse coverted to an apartment went out the window as fast as the late night sounds from The Quarter flew in. The W Hotel, just outside the French Quarter, was short on quaintness but long on amenities, like a bar in the lobby. I believe it was here in the hotel restaurant that the inspiration for Shramp’douille was born. On the menu laying in wait for me was this shrimp corn dog. Except it wasn’t a dog at all. The shrimp was skewered and deep fried in a corn dog batter. It was good, but I saw the potential for greatness or at least New Orleans Style Completely-Over-The-Topness. That last attribute is something I am terribly fond of in my kitchen.

So over the past couple of years I’ve played with different takes on a shrimp and andouille sausage corn dog. Shramp’douille is the name I gave my creation; part Bubba Gump and part andouille sausage. Over the top just like the name, but fun and delicious like a corn dog should be.