Spiced pecans are fun to make and
fun to eat. Photo courtesy Spice Islands.

Mardi Gras is on Tuesday, but you don’t have to head to New Orleans or Rio de Janeiro to celebrate. Invite people over for celebratory cocktails, served up with spiced pecans and some New Orleans jazz. (And why not some colorful costumes?)

Spiced nuts are very versatile. Use them:

 
Get a recipe for spiced nuts.

Here’s a recipe for making candied nuts of any type.

WHAT IS MARDI GRAS?

Mardi Gras, pronounced MAR-dee GRAH, is part of the Catholic Carnival celebration beginning on Epiphany and ending the day before Ash Wednesday. Mardi Gras, called Shrove Tuesday in English, is French for “Fat Tuesday.”

The “fat” refers to the last night that one can eat richer, fatty foods (meat, dairy, fats and sugar) before the ritual fasting of the Lenten season, which starts the following day, Ash Wednesday. “Shrove” is the past participle of the verb “to shrive,” meaning “to obtain absolution for one’s sins through confession and doing penance.”

No parties or celebrations are held during Lent, the six week period prior to Easter that represents the 40 days that Jesus spent in the wilderness. The Mardi Gras parades, festivals and masquerades in colorful costumes mark the transition from traditional daily life to Lent.

You don’t have to head to New Orleans to celebrate Mardi Gras on March 8th.

Celebrate at home with a special Mardi Gras gumbo—a flavorful layering of chicken, andouille sausage, crawfish, okra, diced tomatoes, onions, peppers, garlic, cayenne, fresh parsley and white rice. It has a chicken stock base and is thickened with a roux (fat and flour—the okra also helps to thicken). Gumbo recipes traditionally include filé powder (pronounced fee-LAY), which is ground sassafras leaves. If you don’t have any, you can skip it.

Dress up in costume (here’s some inspiration). Wear ropes of beads (they’re unisex during Mardi Gras).

Don’t limit the festivities to your immediate household. Since a pot of gumbo serves a crowd, have a Mardi Gras party. Ask participants to bring appropriate desserts and drinks.

And tell everyone to bring their favorite jazz recordings. Give a Louis Armstrong CD or an inexpensive MP3 download as a prize for best costume.

Back to the gumbo:

Gumbo, an African word for okra, is a Creole soup originally thickened with okra pods (the French added the roux). Okra came to America with the slave trade and was introduced into Southern cuisine by African cooks.

As with all recipes, there are regional variations and different styles of gumbo. If you’ve never made a gumbo, see how easy it is in this cooking video with caterer Shelly Everett, a.k.a. The Gourmet Angel:

Every year, Brazilian Mardi Gras attracts millions of tourists as well as local celebrants. Each Brazilian city has its own Carnival traditions, including elaborate parades, masquerade balls and other social gatherings, and, of course, feasts. Carnival is believed to have originated from the Italian words carne vale, meaning farewell to meat. The feasts offer meat, and plenty of it.

If there’s a Brazilian-style churrascaria restaurant in your town, there’s no better place to order up a Caipirinha or two and celebrate Carnival. Texas de Brazil, one of the country’s premiere Churrascarias (there are 14 domestic locations—find one near you), offers these suggestions if you’d like to prepare an authentic Brazilian menu to celebrate Carnival at home:

The caipirinha is Brazil’s national cocktail, made
with cachaça, lime and sugar.

- Brazilian Feijoada. Carnival’s signature dish is also the national dish of Brazil, and the perfect comfort food on winter night. Feijoada is a stew made of several types of meat cooked with beans and traditionally served with a side of white rice, salad and peeled oranges. It’s the cassoulet of Brazil.

- Churrasco de Fraldinha. In Brazil, churrasco is the term for barbecue and fraldinha is flank steak. The Churrasco de Fraldinha is a meal for meat lovers only; Brazilians use the best meat and cooking techniques so no sauce is needed, but you could make the Brazillian vinaigrette. If you have a grill, invite the gang over for a Churrasco de Fraldinha and Caipirinhas. It will be a memorable occasion!

- Brazilian Vinaigrette. Similar to Pico de Gallo or salsa, a Brazilian vinaigrette can be made as spicy or mild as needed and is traditionally served over meats.

- Papaya Cream. An easy-to-make dessert that will have you thinking it is summertime. Papaya Cream is a chilled dessert of fresh papaya and cream, a popular and traditional Brazilian treat.

Make your reservations—or start party planning—today.