Mardi Gras Must-Have Food Traditions for Fat Tuesday
There’s nowhere in the world quite like New Orleans.
We don’t know where else you can have a personal parade (with live music and a police escort), take your top off without a side-eye from the bartender, or ban together to rebuild a city’s streets after a catastrophe.
While it may seem like it’s Mardi Gras seven days a week in New Orleans, today marks the last day of the season called “Carnival.” Post-Christmas, Carnival celebrations start the countdown to Fat Tuesday, a day to fill up on all food desires, before Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent. From the outside it may look like an excuse to dedicate a day to excessive partying, but push past the beads and booze to find these traditions are tried and true.
Celebrate the spirit of New Orleans with these recipes, rumors and reminders of the city’s rich cultural cuisine. You’ll find out where to eat in New Orleans, get the lowdown on local “nectar,” taste-test your new go-to hangover cure, and more in our gallery above.
Keep the party going with more NOLA-native cuisine:
Emeril on New Orleans: This Is One of America’s Greatest Cities
A Chronicler of New Orleans Life and Style Shares His Favorite Places to Eat
