National Beignet Day, September 17th, was declared in 2024 by the Ralph Brennan Restaurant Group.
 
 
WHAT’S MARDI GRAS?

The Carnival season begins on or after the Epiphany or King’s Day (January 6th) and culminates on the day before Ash Wednesday.

Mardi Gras/Fat Tuesday refers to the practice of eating richer, fatty foods the last night before the ritual fasting of the Lenten season begins on Ash Wednesday.

Mardi Gras is sometimes referred to as Shrove Tuesday, from the word shrive, meaning “confess.” But the idea of rich foods is far more appealing.

Why “Carnival?”

Centuries ago, Catholics in Italy started the tradition of holding a wild costume festival right before the first day of Lent. It stuck, engendering huge Carnival events elsewhere, including New Orleans and Rio de Janeiro.

[1] Beignets should be enjoyed warm, with a cup of strong coffee (photo © Orsay Restaurant | New York City.

A beignet (pronounced bayn-YAY, the french word for bump) is deep-fried choux pastry dough.

It’s a fritter similar to the German Spritzkuchen, the Italian zeppole and the Spanish churro. It can take on different shapes and flavorings depending on local preferences.

 
Beignets were brought to Louisiana by the Acadians, immigrants from Canada*, whose fritters were sometimes filled with fruit. Today’s beignets are a square or round piece of dough, fried and covered with powdered sugar. The fruit (in the form of jam) is now served, optionally, on the side.

The beignets at Café du Monde in New Orleans are worth going out of your way for (they taste best at the main location). After buying their mix and making them at home, we were unable to match the glory of the original, although we admit, we did not use cottonseed oil as they do.

In New Orleans, the beignet is also known as the French Market doughnut, and it is the Louisiana State doughnut. (How many states have an official state doughnut?)

At Café du Monde, beignets are served in orders of three. The cafe is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, except for Christmas Day.
 
 
HOW TO EAT A BEIGNET

In New Orleans, beignets are served with the local favorite, chicory-laced coffee.

You can enjoy them plain, with fruit curd or jam or with chocolate sauce.
 
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*The Acadians are the descendants of the 17th-century French colonists who settled in Acadia. That colony was located in what is now Eastern Canada’s Maritime provinces—New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island—as well as part of Quebec and present-day Maine to the Kennebec River. Acadia was a distinctly separate colony of New France (which became Canada); the Acadians and Québécois developed two distinct histories and cultures. (Source: Wikipedia)

The recipe below is from Nielsen-Massey, manufacturer of some of the finest extracts in the world, including the vanilla extract used in the recipe.
 
 
RECIPE #1: VANILLA BEIGNET BITES

Ingredients For 6 Dozen Beignets

1. COMBINE warm water, yeast and 1 teaspoon of sugar n a small bowl; set aside to activate yeast. In a medium bowl, add butter, half-and-half and vanilla extract; stir and set aside. Whisk the eggs in a small bowl; set aside.

2. COMBINE the flour, sugar, salt and cardamom in the bowl of a freestanding electric mixer. Place the bowl on a mixer stand fitted with a dough hook. Turn the mixer on low speed and combine the dry ingredients. Turn the mixer to medium speed, then add the activated yeast mixture. Add the half-and-half mixture, then add the whisked eggs. Mix until well combined, scraping the sides of the bowl when necessary. The dough will be slightly sticky.

3. PLACE the dough on a lightly floured surface and knead, about 2-3 minutes; add additional flour if needed. Lightly coat a large bowl with cooking spray and place the dough in the bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and keep warm until the dough has doubled in size, about 2 hours. After the dough has risen, place it on a lightly floured surface and gently knead. Roll the dough into a rectangle, about ¼-inch thick. With a pizza cutter, cut the dough into small rectangles, about 1 x ½-inch pieces.

4. HEAT the oil to 375°F. Carefully place dough in hot oil and fry until golden brown, about 45-60 seconds. Turn the beignets so that both sides are golden brown. Remove from oil and drain on paper towels. Dust with Vanilla Powdered Sugar (recipe below) while bites are still warm. Serve with plain, with chocolate sauce, lemon curd or raspberry jam.
 
 
RECIPE 2: VANILLA POWDERED SUGAR

Ingredients For 1/2 Cup

 
Preparation

1. COMBINE the ingredients in a small bowl.