Food & Party Planning Ideas

Mardi Gras

Whether you call it Mardi Gras, Shrove Tuesday, Carnival, or Fasnacht; it means celebration and feast in all languages and occurs this year on March 4th. Each country has age - old traditions when it comes to Mardi Gras, some they still practice. You can bring the party home with some of these festive ideas from across the world.

The Germans celebrate Fasnacht with a feast of doughnuts, beer, pretzels and sausage. The Italians would wear masks and enact centuries old folk comedies. Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday in French) is celebrated in France by feasting on French toast, fritters, waffles and biscuits. The French also used to lead a chosen ox through the streets on the way to be barbecued.

The English also had some interesting traditions when it came to Shrove Tuesday. The English have Shrove Tuesday Pancake Day, where families enjoy a huge pancake dinner. Then the housewives would compete in a tradition of donning their aprons and racing each other holding pancake filled skillets. Each contestant must successfully toss and flip pancakes into the air three times before crossing the finish line.

You ask yourself why pancakes? It seems like such an unlikely last indulgence, but pancakes use up rich ingredients before the start of the Lenten fast. Traditionally eggs and butter were included in the sacrificial list of food. Some of these traditions have died because there is no need to get rid of all the butter and eggs in the house since they are allowed now. Even if you are not going to be doing the Brazilian Samba in the streets of Rio, engaging in the biggest party of the year in New Orleans, or participating in the ox walk through the streets of France. You can still partake in the English tradition of Pancake Tuesday from your very own house. Be creative and get the kids involved. Incorporate the Italian tradition of wearing masks, and the New Orleans bead tossing.

Have a big family pancake brunch bar and go hog wild. Drizzle Wiltonís light or dark cocoa Candy Melts™ over them and then dust with confectionerís sugar. Another idea that the kids are sure to love is to top the pancake off with a Vanilla Whipped Icing Mix mask. Then use our colored sugars or Cake Sparkles™ in yellow, lavender, and dark green (Mardi Gras colors) to decorate the mask. You could use Wilton Icing Colors to add the yellow, lavender, and dark green tints to the icing mix, margarine or butter. Use our Comfort Grip™ Cutters in flower, daisy, tulip or bear shapes to form the pancakes. Just place on the griddle and pour batter into the center of the cookie cutter. Garnish any pancakes with sprinkles such as nonpareils, chocolate jimmies or cinnamon drops. Depending how old your children are and how daring you want to get, try the pancake toss and flip contest. The kids will have fun and itís easier than joining in the French tradition of eating barbecued ox.

Regardless of what Mardi Gras tradition your family enjoys it is a good opportunity for children to learn about old and new holiday tradition from across the world. Traditions may fade away and others may rise but they are always apart of history. The old along with the new traditions should be honored and practiced in families for years to come.