image courtesy of www.stockphotography.com
Mardi Gras is one of our all-time favorite holidays- it is so festive and redolent with meaning and tradition. Daiku went to college at Tulane University in New Orleans, and lived there for many years, so he has a special place in his heart for this holiday. As for me, one of the first picture books as a child was about Carnivale, so this holiday has long held fascination for me. One day, I'd like to partake in such famous Fat Tuesday celebrations as those held in Rio de Janeiro, Barbados, Venice, and yes, good old New Orleans.
Most years, we throw a huge Mardi Gras bash. Unfortunately, this year the holiday falls at a hectic and busy time, so no party tonight. Boooo! We won't even be home in time to cook anything elaborate, but you can bet we will in the next few days!
So instead, I thought I'd entertain you with some photos from last year's Mardi Gras party.
Our table, filled with food and drinks galore.
Some of the goodies: vegan jambalaya, vegan red beans and rice, pecan cake, salad...
Libations aplenty...
And a vegan king cake! I am forever grateful to Daiku for baking this yummy concoction. It is tradition to hide a little baby Jesus (king) in this cake, and whoever eats the piece with the king has to throw next year's party! This is a yeast cake that tastes like a cinnamon bun or stollen. The frosting is a cream cheese one, colored with traditional Mardi Gras colors.
Hope you enjoy Mardi Gras today! Here are two blogs you can browse for yummy Mardi Gras-related recipes:
Susan's Fatfree Vegan Kitchen
Kathy's What do I know?
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18 comments:
Loved your NYC post.. how cool that you got to meet Sarah Kramer!
You are adorable too!
Ohmygosh, what fun! Happy MG to you, Bazu!!! How festive and totally wonderful.
Fun!
Sorry you don't get to have your big mardi gras party this year, but the pics from last year are great. Daiku's king cake is amazing!! I had a good friend in college from New Orleans, and every year his mom would send him a king cake and a big refridgerated box of crawdads for Mardi Gras! So he'd have a little party at his dorm each year. Fun!
Wow, your Mardi Gras party last year looks terrific! I had a lot of friends at Tulane and visited as often as I could. (My husband went to Loyola, right up the street, but I didn't know him during our college years.) New Orleans is one of those places that gets in your blood--I bet you wind up spending Mardi Gras there sometime soon!
What fun! Who "won" the baby Jesus & threw the party this year?
Wow, looks like your Mardi Gras party last year was the place to be with all that yummy food :) And kudos to Daiku for making that awesome vegan king cake. It's beautiful!
It's too bad that Mardi Gras was such a busy time for you this year. I too think it's a very interesting holiday, and not one I have celebrated very much but would love the chance too. One of my professors used to teach at Tulane, and he brought in a king cake for us (this was before I was vegan) and talked to us about the holiday, and it was a really nice time--and a nice break from accounting! Your bash from last year looks like a blast!
That looks like it was a great party...what a shame you didn’t get to have one again this year. I have never heard of the king cake before. I love the idea that it’s used to decide who will throw the party next year!
Hey, that's really interesting. I like the way those party pictures were taken, you do that on purpose?
And who ate the baby Jesus last year? They should have the party!
ooh how fun! I want to start making more "theme" meals. I let too many special days go by without making the appropriate food to go along with them...Chinese New Year and now mardi gras - what next?
Ooh, everything looks so fun and festive. I can't imagine biting into a piece of cake and getting the baby jesus--how weird!
Awesome king cake! I've only had king cake once, when I was really little, and I thought it was a seriously twisted idea. :)
I'm sorry you couldn't have your party this year because it looks (from last year's photos) that you have a great time. I used to work at Universal and because of their Mardi Gras festival, someone would always bring in a King's cake. I had to laugh at theonlytania's commet as to who ate the baby Jesus last year because, at work, we were always afraid that one of the guys would gulp down the little baby without even realizing it!
Since I minored in French in college, (and had been taking French since sixth grade,) my Mardi Gras traditions have always fallen more towards the French end . . . crepes galore! Anyhow, I think I need to learn more about the American/Creole Mardi Gras, because it sounds so interesting! Any suggestions for where to get more info?
Thanks for your comments, everyone!
To everyone who asked about the King Cake, I don't even remember who got the king piece, but we usually end up throwing the party the next year anyway!
Susan, that's so coincidental that your husband was right there at Loyola when you were hanging out at Tulane!
Tania, I didn't do anything special for the photos, I put the camera on "night-time" mode and turned the flash off, and the lack of light is what caused the special effects!
Catherine, I've been studying French since I was 11 too! (7th grade) Here's a good website I found that gives some info. on New Orleans/Louisiana Mardi Gras traditions:
carnivale.theatricana.com/clubindex.html
I've never celebrated Mardi Gras. I adore cajun (spicy!) food so I don't really understand why that is! Sorry you didn't get to party this year. A party in Rio would be awesome!
Happy Mardi Gras to you, BAZU! I wish I was there to celebrate with you last year! :o)
Hi Bazu
I know you are passionate about your cats and would do anything for them, so would you be able to post something about this little guy on your blog.
http://rhymeswithtwee.com/tigger/
By the way, I really enjoy your blog.
Thanks.
Micheala
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