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January 24-February 8, 2005 MAKE A MASK! A big part of Mardi Gras is the elaborate and unusual masks worn during the parades and at balls.  |
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NEW ORLEANS FLAVOR New Orleans is known for its fabulous cuisine: Jambalaya. Gumbo, Po' Boys, Bananas Foster, Hurricanes and Pralines. Try your hand at a few...
The recipe above is from The Ultimate Party Drink Book, by Bruce Weinstein. |
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NEW ORLEANS FLAVOR The Hurricane—This drink was invented in New Orleans at Pat O'Brien's Restaurant. "The fruity red concoction was created during World War II when liquor such as whiskey was in low supply. In order to purchase just one case of these liquors, liquor salesmen forced bar owners to purchase as much as 50 cases of rum, which was plentiful. In an effort to use the abundance of rum that Pat O'Brien's acquired, the recipe for the Hurricane evolved with the help of an eager liquor salesman. The name came soon after when a glass shaped like a hurricane lamp was used to serve the fruity rum cocktail." From www.patobriens.com. America's First Cocktail—Sezerac—"Antoine Peychaud, a Creole immigrant, operated a pharmacy on the French Quarter's Royal Street in the 1830s. With his background as an apothecary, he was a natural mixologist. His friends would gather for late-night revelry at his pharmacy. Peychaud would mix brandy, absinthe and a dash of his secret bitters for his guests. Later this quaff would come to be known as the Sazerac." For the recipe for The Original Sazerac Cocktail go to www.sezerac.com Pralines—Recipe for Pecan Pralines 3/4 cup brown sugar 3/4 cup white sugar 1/2 cup evaporated milk 1/2 tsp. vanilla 2 T. butter 1 cup pecans Combine sugar and milk and cook slowly in a heavy pot over a low flame until it reaches soft ball stage (238 degrees on a candy thermometer). Remove from heat and add the butter, vanilla and pecans. Beat the mixture with a wooden spoon until it is smooth. Drop by spoonfuls onto waxed paper. Po' Boy—"The generic name for the standard New Orleans sandwich made with French bread. They are considered a New Orleans institution. Always made with French bread, po' boys can be filled with fried oysters, shrimp, fish, soft-shelled crabs, crawfish, roast beef and gravy, roast pork, meatballs, smoked sausage and more. They are served either 'dressed' with a full range of condiments (usually mayonnaise, lettuce, and tomatoes) or 'undressed' (plain)." "The generally excepted history is that the Po' Boy sandwich was invented by two brothers, Clovis and Benjamin Martin, in 1929 at their restaurant in the French Market. It is said, true or not, that this sandwich extravaganza began during a local transit worker's strike. The two brothers took pity on those 'poor boys' and began offering sandwiches made from leftovers to any workers who came to their restaurant's back door at the end of the day." From whatscookingamerica.net LEARN THE LINGO! Excerpted from www.experienceneworleans.com. Visit their site for more information. Bayou (by' you) Slow stream, or body of water running through a marsh or swamp. Big Easy "The Big Easy" became the official nickname for New Orleans after a contest was run years ago. Historically, New Orleans has weathered primitive conditions, yellow fever, hurricanes, floods, wars— English, French, Indians, Union—and just plain hard living. Being a survivor was something to celebrate. In addition, New Orleans is noted for its total mix of cultures that have held onto their past traditions and languages. New Orleans is also constantly celebrating! There are music festivals, food festivals, etc. throughout the year. The bottom line is that "The Big Easy" won because it fits! Boeuf Gras The fatted bull; a Lenten symbol of the last meat eaten before a season of fasting Cajun (kay' jun) French Acadians that settled from Canada Crescent City A nickname for New Orleans, originating from the shape of the Mississippi River as it bends around the city Creole (cree' ole) Descendents of French, Spanish, and Carribean slaves and natives; also come to mean any person whose ancestry derives from the mixed nationalities in the Carribean. Doubloons (duh bloons') Aluminum coins stamped with the parade krewe's insignia and theme Dixie Making money in the "Land of Dixie" was a term used by rivermen and merchants—because $10.00 bank notes were earned, and the French word for ten is Dix. Dressed Sandwiches served with lettuce, tomatoes and mayonnaise--"the works" Fais do-do (Fay' dough dough) A Cajun dance party, after the children have gone to sleep (see above!) King Cake Extra-large oval doughnut pastry dusted with colored candied sugar. A plastic baby doll is hidden inside the cake—the lucky person who gets the piece of cake with the doll inside buys the next cake for the next party throughout the Mardi Gras season. Krewe (crue) A Carnival organization's members Lagniappe (lan' yap) Something extra that you didn't pay for—thrown in to sweeten the deal—like a baker's dozen. Muffuletta (Moo Fa' lotta) and a lotta it is! Super-large, round, fat sandwich filled with salami-type meats, mozzarella cheese, pickles, and olive salad "N'awlins" "New Orleans"—It's faster that way! Throws Trinkets such as beads, cups, and doubloons available here that are tossed from the floats to the crowds during Mardi Gras parades. "Throw Me Something, Mister!" What everyone yells at parades to get throws from the maskers on the floats! SOUNDS OF N'AWLINS Jazz, Ragtime and Zydeco are the sounds you hear during Mardi Gras. Check out a Jelly Roll Morton, Buckwheat Zydeco, or Neville Brothers CD at the local music store or the library and get the party started. "New Orleans is known as the birthplace of jazz, and rightfully so. Early jazz greats like Louis Armstrong, Buddy Bolden, Jelly Roll Morton and King Oliver got their starts in the nightclubs of Storyville, a red-light district that flourished between 1897 and 1917. The city's musical tradition remains strong with the Neville Brothers, the Marsalis family, Harry Connick, Jr., and many others." Excerpt from www.neworleansonline.com |
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| WANT BEADS BY THE DOZEN? Here is the link to order beads in bulk. These are the same ones Highland Downtown Association has been handing out: www.bbdozen.com. Remember to decorate with purple, green and gold. Use masks, jesters, crescent moons, stars, streamers...let the good times roll! Here are other suppliers: Factory Card Outlet/Highland Party City Michael's (mask supplies) Contact Judith Mayer/Keyword Design at 219-923-5279 with questions or to help.  |
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  Mardi Gras Photo Gallery |
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© 2005 Downtown Highland Association and its licensors. All rights reserved. All images on this site are copyrighted and may not be used without permission from Highland Downtown Association. |
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