Happy Mardi Gras!

Today is Mardi Gras!

The party of the year, the largest free show on earth, and a day we are all reminded to eat cake.

Mardi Gras is much more than bead clad crowds, parade floats, or masked parties, though those staples provide for a swell time. Mardi Gras, which translates to "Fat Tuesday" is a Christian holiday that dates back thousands of years in order to celebrate the days leading up to the religious season of Lent. Also known as Carnival, the party of the year is a worldwide cultural phenomenon-especially those with large Roman Catholic populations- and is host to famous festivities inclusive of parade floats, beads, and symbolic foods.


King's Cake photo courtesy of LA Times

Mardi Gras allows for the perfect themed party. If it is entirely too last minute (it is today after all, but the sponteneity could be well worth it) to make it to New Orleans, rally your masses and host a party right at home. For basic decor start with the three colors Purple (representing Justice), Green (representing Faith) and Gold (representing Power), that mark the Carnival season. A very popular custom is the King's Cake which holds a tiny plastic baby for one lucky attendee to find in their slice of cinnamon filled dough with glazed topping sprinkled with sugar in the aforementioned colors. For the brave, try this authentic King's Cake Recipe, or for the savvy create a personal rendition of the dessert by using single portion cinnamon buns or alternate type of cake served in a sundae glass topped with gelato in carnival colors or King's Cake flavors. Go ahead and wrap those sundae glasses with beaded necklaces (perfect for favors) and use this version as a kid-friendly opportunity to hide a tiny plastic baby for each to find in their single serving. Incorporate a little jazz music, a decorate-your-own mask station, and serve up some cajun for a full blown Carnival soiree.  

Serve this

in something like this!

New Orleans hosts one of the largest gatherings for Mardi Gras, a popular place in the US to travel the last few weeks. Recent attention to the city allowed for many renditions of signature NOLA drinks, particularly this sweetened up version of The Hurricane. Bring a bit of New Orleans to the neighborhood and host a Mardi Gras affair to remember. 

Today is an opportunity to celebrate life with a bunch of glorious food/drink, music, and color required to create an authentic representation of The Cresent City's famous entertainment.