Mardi Gras

Happy Fat Tuesday. Haven't been to Mardi Gras in many a year but what a wild time that is. I think the last time I was there was over 20 years ago and Charleton Heston was the grand marshall of the Bacchus Parade. Zulu Parade was one of my favorites in the old days when they used to throw real coconuts then they changed to plastic - guess it was a lawsuit liability.

Happy Fat Tuesday, Pat! I already had 2 donuts this morning

LOL - better get it all in by midnight tonight

Pat...I think I saw you on one of those "Girls Gone Wild" DVD's before....

Laissez les bon temps rouler, everyone!
We go to the first weekend of Mardi Gras parades just about every year. It is great to go to the afternoon parades, and see all the floats and children at the parades. Pat, they still have the real painted coconuts from the Zulu parade, they just hand a few of them out these days. I got mine, the old fashioned way, back in the old days when they threw them! Last year we went with some friends who had never been to New Orleans. We went to 4 parades with them, and they actually bought an extra suitcase to bring home all of the throws, stuffed animals, medallions etc, that they caught, and then they had a Mardi Gras party back home on Fat Tuesday. I thought they were absolutely crazy. The most popular items, outside of the coconuts are the battery operated lighted flashing beads. My favorite parade has to be the Krewe of Barkus, where the animals are the stars of the parade, and it is held in the French Quarter. I hope everyone gets to eat a piece of King cake today.
Kelcie

yes i got mine the old fashioned way too - when they used to try to wing you in the head with that gold coconut. i think the first time i went i was caught up in catching the beads and bringing them home but after that i was more like what the heck am i going to do with this junk? but the parades are awesome. i loved brennans for brunch.

kk99 wrote:

I hope everyone gets to eat a piece of King cake today.
Kelcie

I wish I knew where I could get one near me.

Christine,
They sell them in the grocery stores here as well as the pastry shops, so we've had several in the office the past two weeks. A piece of that and a cup of coffee is a great way to start the day! Pat, my brothers used to catch the throws as kids, and then sell them to the kids who didn't go to that particular parade. I've seen people selling the Zulu coconuts on ebay for $20, and the Bacchus and Rex parade coins for similar amounts. People will buy anything!
Kelcie

pete - in my younger days you may well have seen me on one of those girls gone wild videos.

Kelcie- Unfortunately, I have yet to find one up here in a bakery or grocery store but I will keep my eyes open. Last year I called around to several bakery stores with no luck

for those of you wondering what king cake is:
NEW ORLEANS - In this home of Mardi Gras, people have strong feelings about what king cake is and when you should eat it. The oval-shaped pastry with a plastic baby inside traditionally
heralded the arrival of Carnival season on 12th Night - Jan. 6 - the
day the Catholic faith says three wise men arrived with gifts for the
baby Jesus. And it was eaten only until Mardi Gras, Feb. 5 this year.Now, to the dismay of traditionalists, the cakes come in many flavors and shapes, and they're available all year round.For Carnival historian Errol Laborde, that's not as it should be. Like
oysters, Creole tomatoes and crawfish, some things are best at the
proper time."No king cake will touch my lips before 12th Night or after Mardi Gras," he said.Traditional king cake is made of cinnamon-flavored sweet bread-like
pastry with thin icing, topped with purple, green and gold sugar. Each
contains a plastic baby, but the tradition originally called for a red
bean. The person who gets the baby is supposed to supply the next king
cake for family or office gatherings."I'm a purist," said cookbook author Kit Wolh. "I believe king cake
should be what it's always been, plain and with a baby, but now people
have gilded the lily. Now they can be made with stuffing - it can be
sweet or savory."

kelcie - looks about 30 miles away. kind of far for a king cake
http://www.auxpetits.com/Page.bok?template=locator

and strawberry bakery in frazer, pa

oesnjstar wrote:

kelcie - looks about 30 miles away. kind of far for a king cake
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Pat- Thanks for researching it for me. You're the best I would consider driving out to Wayne after work if they still had some left. Maybe I will call them near the end of my day.

definitely call first

oesnjstar wrote:

and strawberry bakery in frazer, pa

Hey, I've actually driven past there! They offer baking classes there. Haven't tried any of their goods yet though.

Never been to Mardi Gras either. One more thing on my Bucket List.

Towanda