Mardi Gras - 2024

 Last year Alison and I threw a very impromptu Mardi Gras party. We saw a local bakery promoting king cakes for sale and we asked Debbie to pick one up. I whipped up some gumbo and we had a party. It was fun so this year we decided to have a Mardi Gras party and put a little more preparation into it. 

I planned my cooking experience for February around Mardi Gras. I initially planned to make Étouffée, but Alison didn't feel it, so I pivoted and learned to make Po' Boy sandwiches instead. It was the right call. A great Po' Boy starts with the bread. After some research, I ended up using the NOLA-style French bread recipe from King Arthur Baking. This bread turned out so good. It was light and fluffy with a crispy crust. I made it a few times leading up to Mardi Gras to practice. For the rest of the Po' Boy recipe, I used the Chicken Po' Boys with Remoulade Sauce recipe from Butter Be Ready. Using the recipe I made my own remoulade sauce and fried chicken. Alison and I tested the recipe out the week before because as Alison likes to remind me, you don't want to experiment when you are hosting. It turned out great. On Mardi Gras, I added fried shrimp using the same recipe. I also whipped up some homemade lemonade. 

This year we bought some Mardi Gras decorations. We really got into the spirit. We also played Mardi Gras music. I think a good time was had by all. Alison broke down Mardi Gras for everyone and we enjoyed spending time with family. Kristin brought the king cake since she got the baby Jesus (and a year of good luck) last year. This year Jake ended up with baby Jesus in his slice of king cake. He is in line for a year of good luck.