Mardi Gras!

Mardi Gras/Fat Tuesday/Shrove Tuesday are perfect reasons to have a celebration. Whether it is a fun Mardi Gras party, or simply enjoying some Cajun food/desserts! It is always the Tuesday before Lent begins, making it exactly 47 days before Easter. Since the date for Easter changes every year, so does Mardi Gras. The festival season lasts much longer than a day, however the name for the final day is Mardi Gras.

Some Mardi Gras Trivia:

What does Shrove Tuesday mean?

*Traditionally named for its religious significance. The root of the word means to listen to someone’s sins and forgive them, which is what would precede the observance of a lenten fast as well as being marked by feasting and celebrating.

What year was the first Mardi Gras Parade held in New Orleans?

*1837!!

What do people dance around the streets of New Orleans with when it gets dark at night?

*Flambeaux! The French word for blazing torches. First to bring light to the darks streets, they remain a fixture of tradition in modern times as festival goers create and decorate their torches for the festivities

What were the Mardis Gras Beads originally made of?

*Glass – you can guess why they changed to plastic once plastic was available!

What are the traditional Mardi Gras Colors?

*Purple, Green & Gold! Purple represents justice, green represents faith & gold represents power.

What are the names of the beads and coins tossed into the streets during the festival?

*Doubloons

When finding the baby in a king cake, what are you expected to do the following year?

*Bring the next king cake! A delicious dessert named for the 3 Kings who visited baby Jesus when he was born.

By law, anyone riding atop a float must wear a mask. Also by law, no masks are allowed to be worn after 6 PM on Shrove Tuesday. They were worn to allow people to escape their societal and class constraints.

It is forbidden by city ordinance for any corporations or organizations to advertise on floats, leaving the parade completely uncommercialized.

What are the most prized items to catch in a new Orleans Mardi Gras Parade?

*Golden Coconuts! They are given out by those known as the ‘Zulu’ crowd and have become the most coveted item of the festival.

Is Mardi Gras a Louisiana state holiday?

*You bet your golden coconuts it is.

Here are some of the fun dishes that we created for our Mardi Gras festivities this year along with photos and links to the recipes! Hope you enjoy!!