BATON ROUGE — About 100 butchers and chefs gathered at the White Oak Estate and Gardens on Saturday to participate in Chef John Folse's Boucherie and Bourbon event.

The boucherie, or hog killing, is a historical tradition in Louisiana that takes place during the winter months. The French word boucherie, meaning butcher shop, refers to an annual event that brought communities together in the past and unites Cajun culture lovers today.

Throughout the fall and winter seasons, neighbors worked to slaughter hogs and preserve food, with the event being orchestrated weeks in advance to guarantee each participant a fresh supply of meat. 

Nothing at a boucherie goes to waste with intestines becoming casings for andouille, boudin and sausage, heads and feet being used to create hogs' head cheese, and skin being boiled into cracklins and lard.

"As in years past, we are dedicated to keeping our food heritage alive by focusing on the
educational aspect of the boucherie,” Chef John Folse said. “We’ll teach others the process of making these delicacies."

Festivities included cooking demonstrations like in-ground oven cooking, lectures and food and drink tastings.