Category: Mardi Gras

  • Costume de Rigueur

    Invitations to old line Carnival balls invariably contain the phrase “costume de rigueur”.   You may know the attire for men under such terms as “full dress”, “white tie”, or “tails”.  For ladies it means a floor length evening gown – no tea length or dressy pants permitted. Ladies have it easy, but the process of…

  • Mardi Gras Centerpiece

    Some people have asked about the centerpieces that I used at the recent Epiphany brunch.   These were very easy to put together and you can use the same idea with materials that you have available for whatever holiday you are celebrating. Here is what I used: Greenery from my yard (you can use whatever…

  • Mardi Gras Pink!

      As we get closer to Mardi Gras, Krewes are busy attending their Mardi Gras balls, gathering throws and making plans for their parades and parties. I am a member of the Mystic Krewe of Nyx. We parade at night on the Wednesday before Mardi Gras. We recently had a membership meeting/party to hear the…

  • No Bake King Cake

    Have you ever wanted to make a Mardi Gras king cake but were turned off by the complicated yeast bread recipes?  Here’s a quickie recipe with beautiful results – and no cooking necessary. I attended a presentation today given by Cindy Pagragan of Cindy’s Sweet Sensations.  She showed us slides of her exquisite novelty and…

  • Mardi Gras Tablescapes (and Valentine’s Too)

    New Orleans is in for a busy holiday period, with Valentine’s Day coming just two days after Mardi Gras.  My friend Sherry, a talented designer, gave an inspiring presentation today on festive table ideas. Sherry had great advice for us novice decorators.  Don’t be afraid to experiment.  Shop from your closets and attics first, and…

  • Mardi Gras Gumbo

    It’s been pretty rainy around here for the past week. The perfect time for gumbo. Okay, really any time is the perfect time, but today, it chased away the gloominess from the sky and helped restore the Mardi Gras mood. Okay, so I took a few shortcuts on the gumbo. Don’t judge me for being…

  • Epiphany Brunch

    Last Sunday, January 6th, we had an Epiphany brunch here with people from our church and friends. Church members provided food and it was great fun. My contribution was a king cake and a sausage and hash brown egg casserole (see the recipe in today’s lagniappe). Here is the table: The tradition of the king…

  • Mardi Gras Time!

    It’s official – the Mardi Gras or Carnival season has begun here in New Orleans. As Cindy said in the earlier post, the Mardi Gras season officially kicks off with Twelfth Night or the Epiphany. All of the Christmas decorations are now put away and it is time to start the celebrations leading up to…

  • Mardi Gras is on the Way

    January 6 to most people is Epiphany, but in New Orleans it is Twelfth Night, the beginning of the Carnival season.  We are going to be talking a lot about Mardi Gras in the next couple of weeks, so I wanted to give you some background. Although they are often used interchangeably, Carnival is a…

  • It’s Mardi Gras Time!

    Next Tuesday is Mardi Gras, 2011! Thought I would go back and visit some Mardi Gras party tables (along with a few party pics) from the past. Enjoy!   The main table was spread with a gold toned spread and the centerpiece is a glass hurricane that is filled with green and gold ornaments and…

  • Easy Southern Gumbo

    One week to Mardi Gras! Can’t wait. We love gumbo around here, however on a weeknight, it is a bit much to get it all together. So, we take a shortcut! With a little help this gumbo in a box from Luzianne this can be a really tasty dinner! We start with some andouille sausage…