LAISSEZ LES BONS TEMP ROULER! (Let the good times roll!)
We recently took a poll on our website and the #1 spot that people want to see is New Orleans! With this in mind and with Mardi Gras right around the corner, I decided to do some research to see where it’s celebrated and what foods are eaten.
So I started on my quest. Low and behold, they celebrate Carnivale in Venice, Italy too! What is Carnivale? Carnivale or Twelfth Night is a season which can start anytime around the Epiphany or 12 days after Christmas, hence Twelfth Night. It’s celebrated all around the world and culminates with the Mother of all Celebrations “Mardi Gras.”
The most popular Mardi Gras celebrations are Rio de Janeiro and our own, “New Orleans.” Mardi Gras is the last indulgence before the fasting of Lent and is known by a few names like Shrove Tuesday and Fat Tuesday. During this period of indulgence, rich and fatty foods are the foods of choice. Foods that are associated with New Orleans Mardi Gras are crawfish, gumbo, candied sweet potatoes, King’s Cake, and pecan pie.
In 1837 the Mardi Gras parade made its debut in the French Quarter of New Orleans, Louisiana. I’m sure they never thought that their little parade would turn out to be one of the top places to celebrate Mardi Gras! The lavish parade is led by a King and Queen who greet their subjects. Of course, the subjects are usually unruly and quite inebriated. The crowd is usually chanting “Laissez les bons temps rouler,” which translated means “Let the good times roll!” Lucky ones are rewarded with necklaces made of green, purple and gold beads and other trinkets.
