Photo: Back to the Cutting Board

By: Michael Engle

Tomorrow is Mardi Gras, or Fat Tuesday as some of us know it. Mardi Gras is a traditional Catholic celebration, marking the final day before Lent and is marked by lavish festivities across the Catholic world.  Meanwhile, in New Orleans, LA, Mardi Gras has evolved as a way of life, with parades being scheduled every day for a month in advance.  But no discussion about Mardi Gras in New Orleans is complete, however, without mentioning King Cake.

King Cake is, in its most simple form, a rich, yet simple, dessert that is iconic to Mardi Gras in New Orleans.  Borrowing from Spanish and French tradition, modern King Cake closely resembles brioche; traditionally, the brioche is either left plain or flavored with cinnamon.  It is, unlike its Old World counterparts such as rosca de reyes and galette des rois, almost always ring-shaped.  All King Cakes are adorned with the Mardi Gras colors: purple, green, and gold, which respectively represent justice, faith, and power.  These colors are most often accomplished by using colored sugar crystals, which are sprinkled over a white icing.  Read More

The revelry of Mardi Gras is over, which means that Lent has begun.  Once the gumbo has run out, and the moonpies have all been eaten, the fasting of lent begins, a period of spirituality that is connected to food. Read More

By Erica Veal – Events Manager at Red Rooster Harlem

My family is from Mobile, Alabama. In Mobile, Mardi Gras starts two weeks before Ash Wednesday, with parades and that sort of thing. People are out there right now, partying, and celebrating. Read More

Bead throwing, and wild parties: Mardi Gras is an occasion for unabashed celebration before Lent. Celebrated in many French speaking nations, Mardi Gras gives revelers a chance to blow off steam Read More

As Mardi Gras approaches, throw an exciting New Orleans themed party with these top 5 Mardi Gras dishes. You’ll have your guests asking for second helpings along with beads. Read More

King’s Cake is a centuries-old Mardi Gras tradition – covered with colored sugar of the three kings, yellow, green, and purple, a little toy Baby Jesus or a crowned king usually hides inside this cake as a surprise for a lucky individual! Read More