Fat Tuesday!

We had a great Fat Tuesday today. Eva started the day by running into our room at 6:30 or so announcing that it was Fat Tuesday and that we should eat King Cake!

On the menu was Boudin Blanc - an excellent Cajun sausage stuffed with pork, rice, spices and pepper. It is considered a fast food in LA because it has everything stuffed in one sausage. It originated in frugality since rice is cheaper than meat, it was meant to help fill the casing. Yum!

Red beans and rice - a little spicy, but everyone seemed to enjoy it!

Stella had 2 platefuls of our Fat Tuesday dinner, and both Eva and Mickey finished it all without complaining too. I'll have to see if Whole Foods carries Boudin Blanc year round or not because it was a fast, tasty meal!

Lastly, of course, we had our King Cake, which takes it's name for the biblical 3 kings. It is a ring of twisted brioche like bread topped with icing and purple, green and gold sugar. Ours was filled with cream cheese! Now, King Cakes usually have a baby either inside or on top of the cake...ours was on top, so I cut the pieces and we drew numbers to see who got the baby. Eva won! She should have good luck now and somehow has to provide us with next years King Cake, but I think next year I am going to try to bake it myself! I guess she can help me!

Everyone in our house knows that on holidays, I am going to bring some trivia to the table. I think it's good so the kids have a clue why we celebrate holidays and events! Some questions from this years trivia:

What does Mardi Gras mean?
Literally, fat Tuesday

Why is fat Tuesday celebrated?
It is the day before Ash Wednesday, where traditionally Catholics would fast for the next 40 days, so fat Tuesday was a day of overindulgence before the fast.

What are the colors of Mardi Gras and what do they mean?
Purple represents justice; green - faith, and gold - power

What is Mardi Gras known as in the Christian calendar?
Shrove Tuesday (pancake day)

Happy Fat Tuesday!