Fat Tuesday
Mardi Gras is a rich tradition throughout the South, and on Fat Tuesday, there are parades, King Cakes, and truckloads of green, purple, and gold beads thrown. Much of this is done simply in the name of “this is what you do on Mardi Gras,” but there is so much more to the Holiday than that. The roots of Mardi Gras spring from sincere religious tradition.While Mardi Gras is French for Fat Tuesday it is a season, the same celebration as Carnival. However, Fat Tuesday is a day of preparation for the next day, Ash Wednesday. Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent for those of Catholic and Christian faith.
Fat Tuesday comes with many traditions such as King cake. This cake is made out of brioche dough laced with cinnamon and is only eaten during Mardi Gras. That’s not all though! King cake has a little surprise in the center. There is a plastic baby hidden inside the cake and whoever gets the baby in their slice must buy the next cake or host the following year. Nearly 750,000 king cakes are consumed during the Mardi Gras period. That’s a lot of cake!
Fastnachts are a Pennsylvania tradition served in the days before lent. This dessert is a fried donut covered in sugar. They were made as a way to empty the pantry of lard, sugar, fat, and butter, which were traditionally fasted from during Lent.
Throwing beads is another popular tradition on Fat Tuesday. The beads’ colors, purple, green, and gold, are the official colors of Mardi Gras and were chosen to honor Duke Alexis Romanov Alexandrovitch of Russia when he visited New Orleans in 1872. These colors have come to symbolize justice, faith, and power and are said to bring luck in the areas where the beads are received.
Masks are another exciting tradition. They have become more of a fashion statement, but were originally worn so that party goers would not be confined by social class demands and could mingle in anonymity with whom they pleased.
However you celebrate Fat Tuesday or Mardi Gras, we’re sure to have your favorites. Visit https://www.kuhnsmarket.com to start your shopping list!