Today, many people picture Mardi Gras as a day of drunken debauchery parading through the streets of New Orleans. And it certainly can be. But it’s also the last day before lent begins. That means historically, it's the last day to load up on a lot of delicious things for more than a month. If you’re one of those people looking to feast before the long lenten fast, or if you just like good food, try one or all of these dishes that have long histories with the holiday and the city of New Orleans.
King Cake
The rich coffee cake like treat is a must have at any Mardi Gras celebration. It likely became part of New Orleans Mardi Gras tradition around 1870 via the French and has ridden high as one of the most identifable Fat Tuesday foods ever since. King cakes are decked out in the traditional Mardi Gras colors of purple, green and gold and there’s always a surprise baked in. They have had beans and coins hiding inside them, but today king cakes are best known today for having tiny baby figurines baked into them. Finding the hidden baby in the cake is considered good luck, but it also means you have to be careful taking too big a bite. You can get one shipped to your door from famous Louisiana bakeries like Manny Randazzo or get your own tiny figurine and try making a king cake from scratch.
Gumbo
The creole stew is tightly tied to Mardi Gras history going back over a century. Revelers have long taken place in a Mardi Gras runs, walking their neighborhoods in masks and costumes collecting all the ingredients they need for to make a gumbo. As any gumbo chef will tell you, the secret to gumbo is a perfect roux and if you need tips on how to make one, check out what NOLA legend Leah Chase has to say on the topic. And then try your hand a full-on Mardi Gras gumbo.
Jambalaya
NOLA’s other big pot dish veers into paella territory. Shrimp, crawfish, chicken, pork sausage, and plenty of rice, it contains every delicious ingredient you can think of. And if you haven’t mastered the alchemy of the perfect roux that you need for a great gumbo, try doing a Jambalaya instead.
Milk Punch
Don’t let the ingredient list on this concoction of milk and brandy put you off. It’s a potent and easy-sipping cocktail. And while it’s not exclusive to Mardi Gras, it was made famous in New Orleans. You can have a rich, white, creamy version of the drink, but for an even more impressive punch, take the time to clarify, or pull out the milk solids, for clear cocktail you’d never guess was made with dairy.
Pancakes
Pancakes are eaten on Mardi Gras every year, although they aren’t themselves really a Mardi Gras food. The history of pancakes and Fat Tuesday goes back to England and Ireland, where the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday is also known as Shrove Tuesday, the day when Anglo-Saxon Christians were absolved of their sins. And because eating both eggs and fats, like butter, was banned during lent, it was also one last chance to feast on what was about to become contraband. Pancakes were considered a great way to get rid of excess eggs and fat and making a batch still is.