2018.02.13 Tuesday: Mardi Gras is also known as "Fat Tuesday." It marks the end of the Carnival celebrations, which begin around Epiphany and end on Ash Wednesday.
Although Mardi Gras is not widely celebrated in north Alabama, I fondly remember the lavish community-wide celebrations of it that were held when Scott and I lived in Pensacola, Florida.
Along the Gulf Coast, Mardi Gras is celebrated with parades that stretch for miles, winding through streets of tightly-packed spectators -- and (of course!) everyone goes home with stacks of brightly-colored beads thrown by krewes manning the floats or walking the route. As it is not part of our religion or culture, neither Scott nor I had ever been to a parade -- but when friends convinced us to go, it was wonderful to see the joyful crowds of young and old alike.
In Pensacola the traditional food for Fat Tuesday is King Cake; however, New Orleans beignets as well as pancakes are also eaten. So today in honor of the wonderful memories of our time in Florida, I got out my beads and (since I am now counting calories) ate a small pancake with fruit.
