The Royal Chef At Home: Easy Seasonal Entertaining

M ardi Gras (Fat Tuesday) is as much about partying as it is about the food, no matter where you are in the Christian world. In the UK, it’s called Shrove Tuesday and every home cook is busy making pancakes, or crepes as the French call them. As fast as my mother would make them, my dad, brother, sister and I would sprinkle themwith sugar and lemon juice and wolf them down. I contin ue the tradition today in my own household, though I am faster than my mum so I usually manage to eat one or two before the kids are yelling for more. Shrove Tuesday is a long way from Mardi Gras, one of the American South’s iconic holidays and one I’ve grown to love. I came to the States in 1997 and began working for a Texas family whose roots were in the South. My goodness, they loved Mardi Gras! At their urging, I learned how to make dishes that were less Texas and more bayou and from the start I was hooked on the spicy, layered flavors of Cajun/Creole cuisine. Not that there haven’t been a few missteps. The first time I made grits I passed them through a sieve because they were too... well... gritty. Still, I’m a quick learner and I’ve been told by many an effusive guest that I’m now pretty good at dishing up a traditional New Orleans Mardi Gras meal. While you may think that is just the Sazeracs and Hurricanes talking, I guarantee these recipes will have you reaching for your Mardi Gras beads and tossing your Zulu coconuts! MARDI GRAS DANCE & DRINK

WINTER · MARDI GRAS DANCE & DRINK

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