Mardi Gras

Every year about this time, New Orleans throws a gigantic block party. Thousands of people from around the world flock to The Big Easy to enjoy the largest parade and costume ball in the world. The colorful carnival season begins on Twelfth Night (January 6) and culminates on Fat Tuesday, or Mardi Gras Day. Food is a huge part of this pre-Lenten celebration of excess - from King Cake... to red beans and rice... to jambalaya. In the following pages, some of our Penzeys customers share their secrets for spicing up Mardi Gras with food and fun.

From King Cake to Coconuts

Elaine Joseph

"Carnival season starts on Twelfth Night, January 6," writes Elaine Joseph, a professor at Tulane University in New Orleans.

"A streetcar parade begins on that night. The beginning of the carnival season is also the time when the King Cake is popular. The original King Cake is a baked cinnamon dough ring with a tiny baby ornament inside. The frosting and colored sugar represent the colors of Mardi Gras, which are purple, green and gold. Every party or get-together will have King Cake, and the person who gets the piece with the baby in it must provide the next King Cake for a party or get-together.

"Two weeks before Mardi Gras, the parades begin in full force," Elaine explains. "There are several every night until Mardi Gras Day, along with many parties and formal balls to celebrate the season. These affairs are given by the krewes, or clubs, who ride the floats in the Mardi Gras parades.

"The most spectaular thing at the parades are the throws - the beads, trinkets and stuffed animals that are tossed to the crowds lining the streets. The throws get more elaborate every year, with each krewe vying to have the best throws. Zulu is the only krewe that has beautifully painted coconuts of silver and gold to give to spectators, along with the throws.

"My family home is on Jackson Avenue, the route of the Zulu parade, which is the first of eight krewes to parade on Mardi Gras Day. The Zulu tradition dates back 100 years, when the African-American krewe first began parading in New Orleans. The Zulu parade has about 15-20 floats with bands and drill squads and other marching groups. It takes about 3 hours for the parade to pass my house.

"People begin to gather at our house about 7 a.m.," continues Elaine. "Everyone brings food. The menu is usually red beans and rice, baked ham, hot dogs and hamburgers, fried chicken and potato salad."

Elaine lives with her two sisters and a niece who all enjoy a front row seat when the parade passes by her house.

Menu:
Elaine Joseph - Potato Salad
David Krebs - Red Beans and Rice