Break out your beads and grab a bite of King Cake — Mardi Gras time is near! This year the celebration begins on Feb. 21. The date changes every year because of its connection to Easter. It always takes place 47 days before Easter.
Mardi Gras is French for Fat Tuesday reflecting the practice of eating rich, fatty foods before the ritual of Lenten sacrificing and fasting of the Lenten season. Mardi Gras is celebrated in many countries worldwide — mainly those with a large Roman Catholic population. In the past, approximately 1.4 million visitors have taken to the streets of New Orleans to participate in the iconic Fat Tuesday parades and festivities.
The first Mardi Gras parade was held in New Orleans in 1838. The floats and multi-colored bead necklaces are one of the most visible signs of Mardi Gras. Twenty-five million pounds of beads are thrown from the floats each year. In the 1800s, the beads were made of glass. Now the beads and trinkets are made of plastic. Participants riding on the floats must wear masks. The origin of wearing masks was to break down social barriers in society and let everyone intermingle. It is against the law to not wear a mask. There is a $100 fine for not wearing a mask while riding on a float.
The traditional colors of Mardi Gras are purple (symbolizing justice), gold (symbolizing power), and green (symbolizing faith). Pancakes are a common food to eat during Mardi Gras. It is also a tradition to toss the pancakes with a coin in one hand in order to ensure prosperity throughout the year. Other common food associated with the holiday are King Cakes, beignets, gumbo, jambalaya and grits.
If you can’t make it to the “Big Easy”, bring a little New Orleans cuisine to your home or workplace. I have a few Mardi Gras inspired recipes for you to try. Thanks for reading.
CREOLE CORNBREAD
1 pound smoked sausage, diced
2 large eggs
1 cup milk
5 tablespoons canola oil
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
2 cups cooked rice
4 tablespoons dried minced onion
1 (4-ounce) can diced jalapeno peppers
1 (15-ounce) can cream-style corn
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Pour 1 tablespoon canola oil into a large cast iron skillet; place in cold oven and preheat to 350 degrees. In a large skillet, cook sausage until it starts to brown; drain sausage and get rid of excess grease. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, and the remaining canola oil. Stir in corn meal, salt, and baking soda. Add shredded cheese, Cajun seasoning, corn, onion, peppers, cooked rice and sausage to combine. Pour batter into the hot black skillet; bake for 45 – 50 minutes until golden brown.
CREOLE GREEN BEANS
3 (15-ounces) cans whole green beans, drained
4 slices bacon, diced
½ cup chopped onion
½ cup chopped green bell pepper
2 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons brown sugar
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon dry mustard
1 (15-ounce) can stewed tomatoes
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Cook bacon in a large skillet until crisp; remove bacon and reserve dripping. Saute’ onion and bell pepper in bacon dripping until tender. Stir in the flour, brown sugar, salt, pepper and dry mustard. Stir in tomatoes and Worcestershire sauce. Add green beans and cook until thickened and thoroughly heated, about 15 minutes. Top with cooked bacon.
PRALINE BROWNIES
2 (18.3-ounce) package brownie mix, plus ingredients to make them
⅔ cup heavy cream
½ cup butter
1⅔ cup brown sugar
⅔ cup chopped pecans
1⅔ cup powdered sugar
1½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Make both packages of the brownies according to package directions. Pour both in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish; cool completely. In a medium saucepan, combine cream, butter, and brown sugar; cook over medium heat, stirring frequently until comes to a boil. Boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in pecans, powdered sugar and vanilla; cool for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Spread frosting over cooled brownies and allow to set for an hour until frosting is set. Cut into squares or bars.
