On Parades, King Cakes and Coffee

We’re celebrating this week. The Saints won the Superbowl and its Mardi Gras!  Not just any Mardi Gras, but the biggest carnival in the United States!

What is Mardi Gras you say?

The words, “Mardi Gras”, is in the French language. Broken down, the words are, “Mardi”, French for “Tuesday”.    “Gras”, in French, means “Fat”. In translating French to English, the last word spoken should be, (more or less) the first word translated. Therefore following this loose rule, the translation comes to mean, “Fat Tuesday”.   With that little bit of translation down. ..

What the heck are you Celebrating?

As you can now see, “Mardi Gras is nothing more than a practical day of preparation for the Lenten season. The day itself, celebrates or commemorates nothing. “Mardi Gras” is simply the given name, of the day before Ash Wednesday, and the beginning of the Lenten Season.

The day, however, does commemorates the activity of preparation for the observance of Lent. This commemoration or observance reminds us of the coming of Lent, and the reflection of the past years of life.

The holiday has for many, become the evil thing, we see each year, because they do not understand the day or it’s purpose. For many, this is the first REAL explanation they have seen as to what they are truly celebrating.

Mardi Gras has evolved into a rowdy, happy and crazy celebration that vendors, club owners, and others have hijacked and turned it from the quite day of feasting at home, to the parade going, beer guzzling, bewb flashing party you sometimes see and hear about.

So how’d it all get started?

Mardi Gras actually started in Mobile in 1703 when it was a colony of French soldiers. After having survived a particularly nasty bout with yellow fever, they decided to celebrate, but since party favors were few and far between in the New World, the men opted to paint their faces red and just act crazy for a few hours. They must have had fun because it became an annual event.

Mardi Gras was transformed into a parade event in 1840 by a group known as the Cowbellion de Rakin Society, the first of many of Mobile’s so-called mystic organizations who journeyed to New Orleans in 1857 to help a group there set up a Mardi Gras celebration.

Don’t let the word “mystic” bother you. No black magic or wide-eyed cultists here. These are civic groups just like the Jaycees or Rotary, only their main purpose is to — Let the good times roll. Let some of their names speak for themselves: The Knights of Revelry, The Maids of Mirth, The Polka Dots, The Krewe of Merry Mates and The Comic Cowboys. Boogety boogety , indeed!

After the Civil War, Mobile was occupied by Federal troops, and it was not a fun place. Hostilities had long since put Mardi Gras on hold. However, in 1866, a man by the name of Joe Cain felt it was time once again to bring back the merriment of Mardi Gras and decided to do his part to put life back into the town. Cain decked himself in full Chickasaw Indian regalia, proclaimed himself Chief Slacabamorinico, climbed aboard a coal wagon with six spirited (figuratively and literally) friends calling themselves “The Tea Drinkers,” and road his one-mule, one-float parade through the town. That’s Mobile’s Party.

But to get to the BIGGEST party, you need to drive West on I-10 some 143 or so miles to the heart of Laissez les bon temps rouler, NEW Orleans, Louisiana.

Many think of beads and floats, semi-naked men (and women) strolling arm in arm down Bourbon Street. Raucous, inebriated crowds. Not exactly the place you’d want to take your family.  The fact is that couldn’t be further from the truth. Mardi Gras IS a family-oriented event. Away from Bourbon Street (which I wouldn’t take my grandmother to during Mardi Gras or any other time), families far outnumber flashers and drunks and the only breasts one is likely to see are those of some ever so yummy fried chickens. Its all about the parades, for families. Schools in Orleans Parish and surrounding parishes and cities are closed on Fat Tuesday as I recall, that could have changed by now. But even in neigborhoods across the city, you’re likely to run into a neigborhood parade from the local school kids.  Let me make one thing perfectly clear. The French Quarter is NO PLACE FOR FAMILIES ! Kids don’t belong in the French Quarter or on Canal Street during Mardi Gras. So take the family to St. Charles Avenue between First Street and Napoleon Avenue. Here the parade goers are all families. Many bring their ladders, with kiddie seats attached to the top. The atmosphere is good, clean family fun.

Mardi Gras Krewes hold their annual balls during this season, but don’t count on going to the costumed affairs. If you’re not in a Krew or married to the Krewe you’re NOT getting in. The Krewe members spend thousands each year for the priveledge of being a member and riding in the parade on their float. Thousands more are paid by each member for those beads, so coveted by kids and adults.  A loud ‘throw me somethin’ mister!’ will be answered with hundreds of beads being thrown from the floats.

Catching beads and doubloons from floats is a wonderful experience. But also introduce the family to the traditions of King Cake, masking, and music. Take time to visit the Audubon Zoo and the Aquarium of the Americas, the Louisiana Children’s Museum, Storyland at City Park or take a ride on the St. Charles Avenue or Canal Streetcar. Mardi Gras is just the beginning !

Even if you can’t make it to New Orleans, you can have your own Mardi Gras celebration right at home. Our sponsor, Community Coffee (Louisiana’s home town coffee company) is providing a special celebration package for one lucky reader.   This package includes one Cinnamon King Cake (from Marguerite’s), a bag of Community Coffee (Carnivale Cake) a limited edition commuter tumbler coffee cup and a set of Mardi Gras Beads to complete your celebration! This yummy blend of coffee is sure to set your Mardi Gras spirit into full gear!

So what’s a King Cake?

This braided sweet roll dough pastry is laced with cinnamon and baked to perfection, then iced in the Mardi Gras colors of purple (justice), green (faith) and gold (power). Each cake includes a tiny plastic baby that is inserted before shipping. Tradition has it that the person who receives the baby in his/her piece of cake must buy the next king cake or host the next party. The King Cake is probably the only cake to have its very own party.  Trust me its a delicious part of Mardi Gras and almost all other holiday seasons in the New Orleans area. The cake made by Marguerites is extra rich, gooey and yummy. They deliver via FEDX through out the week. I’ll warn you though to go ahead and order today! Also, the tiny plastic baby is already inside the cake, warn your guests and be aware!

To get entered in the Lagniappe Mardi Gras celebration here’s what you need to do: (Pay attention, I’m only saying this once)

1. Visit Community Coffee. Browse through all their coffee selections and pick the one you’d most like to try.

2. Follow Community Coffee on Facebook

3. Come back here and leave a comment about Community Coffee and how you’d like to celebrate Mardi Gras.

4. Visit our parent site Lagniappe Marketing and sign up for our RSS Feed or Newsletter.

That’s it.

For extra entries,

follow me on twitter and

friend me on facebook.

Then Tweet about this contest using #KingCake Freebie

Add a comment for each of these.  That gives you four  chances in total.

You must use your actual e-mail account to leave a comment. We do not share e-mail information with anyone. We hate spam. If you do not follow all the steps above your entry will be voided.  This contest ends Friday at 12 noon EST. A winner will be chosen via random draw and the winner will be contacted via email for shipping information.

I was provided a Mardi-Gras package from Community Coffee for use in this post.

WE HAVE A WINNER ! MELISSA D @turboterp
Thanks to everyone who participated and created buzz for our contest!

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• New Orleans celebrates Saints, Mardi Gras-style (sportsillustrated.cnn.com)
• Mardi Gras and Valentines Day Wine Tasting Party at Brotherhood (hvwinegoddess.blogspot.com)
• A close look at Mardi Gras floats (seattletimes.nwsource.com)
• Food Stuff: Let Them Eat Cake (There’s a Prize Inside) (nytimes.com)

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