For all of you Mardi Gras celebrators and aficionados, it’s time to party! March 1st kicks off all of the fun this year.
I’ve never been to Mardi Gras in New Orleans, but I do know how to party like a rockstar. Everyone knows that the specialty cocktail is the Hurricane and it originated in New Orleans, right? But does everyone know about the special tradition of the King Cake?
First and foremost, why isn’t it called the Queen Cake? Hmmmm. Ha! I was told that this magical cake is like a giant donut and hidden in each cake there’s a plastic little baby figurine. If you’re the lucky one to see it in your piece of cake (or bite into it! Yikes!) then you get to throw the next party. So fun! Need some party ideas? Just Ask!
I have a donut recipe that you can use or simply make the King Cake traditional recipe. Evidently, Mardi Gras is the last night before the fasting of Lent begins. So eat to your heart’s content! Share your King Cake recipes and photos with me!
Costumes are huge also when celebrating Mardi Gras. I was given some great masks from Venice that would be ideal for the grand celebration. Shop for some masks here. I was told by a resident expert that the colors in your costume should be purple, green, and gold.
During carnival, there’s always dancing, singing and of course, there’s a bit of alcohol involved. Ha! The parades are the main event with high school marching bands and floats — like the Macy’s Day Parade! But this party lasts for two weeks. Wow! I don’t think I could keep up but way to go folks of New Orleans!
If you can’t make it to the Big Easy this year, I have a great Pat O’Brien’s Bar Hurricane Cocktail recipe for you. It’s easy, but you’ll need the Pat O’Brien’s, Hurricane Mix.
What you’ll need:
4 ounces of any good dark rum
4 ounces of Pat O’Brien’s Hurricane Mix
An orange slice and a cherry for garnish
How to make it:
Mix the rum and Hurricane mix. Pour into a large glass with crushed ice. Throw on the garnishes and you’ll have yourself a nice Mardi Gras party wherever you are!
Cheers to all of you New Orleans peeps!
