Fat Tuesday: All On A Mardi Gras Day

Today is Fat Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday – Mardi Gras day.  Today’s the day for partying, especially if you are in New Orleans (although they’ve been partying pretty much continuously since the final seconds of Super Bowl 44 two Sundays ago).

We’ve posted a bunch of New Orleans/Mardi Gras music and it’s still available on our blog, look around and you should find it.  Or you can just go here and find it all.  The Preservation Hall Jazz Band, one of the greatest New Orleans combos ever, has a new album with guest appearances by people like Steve Earle, Tom Waits, Richie Havens, Merle Haggard and many more.  You can stream it for free (today only), and buy it, at the Amoeba Records site.

If you are not in a place where there’s a Mardi Gras parade today, don’t despair: the New Orleans Times Picayune offers live, streaming webcams from Bourbon Street and other strategic locations.  Go here and look in the box that says “Mardi Gras resources.”

The only other thing you can do to make your Mardi Gras day authentic (besides wearing beads) is to cook yourself a nice Louisiana-style dinner.  Our good friends at Zatarain’s offer a number of recipes for Red Beans and Rice, which is a great New Orleans dish.  Although I don’t know why they present them as “Red Beans and Rice Party Dip” or “Red Beans and Rice Tacos” – maybe to make them more palatable to people up North.  If that’s the case then don’t forget the sour cream, New Yorkers!

Well.  Have a nice Mardi Gras day.  Be sure to get your ashes tomorrow, honor lent and be nice to your brothers and sisters.  Peace, and lassez les bon temps roulet.

YouTube: Preservation, An Album to Benefit Preservation Hall promo