Mardi Gras is probably the most fun-filled holiday on the Catholic popular calendar. All around the world, each Catholic culture has their own ways of celebrating the day before our 40-day Lent begins, but New Orleans in particular has filled the holiday with parades, pageantry, vivid colors, and a wide array of delectable dishes to fill the feast.
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One of the reasons New Orleans has become nearly synonymous with Mardi Gras, especially in America, is that the holiday is celebrated well beyond just Fat Tuesday. For the weeks leading from Epiphany to Ash Wednesday, the Mardi Gras season is in gear, featuring daily parades (weather permitting) and community events that become grander the closer we get to Lent.
While the turning of a feast day into a feast season is a good tourist draw, the Catholic population can appreciate a heightened awareness of their faith. This in turn helps the faithful remain mindful that the solemnity of Lent is soon to be here.
So lets take a look at some of New Orleans’ traditional Mardi Gras dishes as we prepare for our own day, or week, of celebration. All recipes are linked within the slideshow.
And today we celebrate...