All about Mardi Gras By Florrie Rayfield
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All about Mardi Gras
By Florrie Rayfield
What is Mardi Gras? • Mardi Gras is French for ‘Fat Tuesday’. The day which we call ‘Pancake Day’. It is the day before ‘Ash Wednesday’, which is the start of Lent. During Lent, many Christians fast. Fat Tuesday points out the last day of eating unhealthier foods before the healthier days of Lent begin. This year Mardi Gras is on February 16th. In France, this festive season comes with public celebrations or parades which take place in many French towns and schools.
What are its origins? • Mardi-Gras (literally “Fat Tuesday”) is originally a catholic event which marks the end of the “week of the seven fat days”. They were known as “jours charnels” (meaning carnival) in the old days. Before Ash Wednesday people celebrated in many diverse ways as it was their last chance until Easter to eat meat.
• Although Carnival is now a global sensation celebrated in over 50
countries around the world, none are the same and can change not
How is it only from country to country but also from village to village within
the same region based on local cultures.
celebrated in • The most famous Carnival in France is “Le Carnival De Nice” (the
France today? Nice Carnival). Not only is it the largest celebration in France, but
it’s also one of the oldest Carnival celebrations in the world,
dating back to the 1200s.
Le Carnival De Nice • Each year there is a new theme for Carnival, which begins with the Carnival King and his Corso Carnavalesque (Carnival Procession) at Place Massena. Recent themes have included, King of gastronomy, King of fashion, King of cinema, King of animals, King of space etc. • The Nice carnival features six parades, around 17 floats and more than 1,000 dancers and musicians from all over the world. • In the evening, carnival floats light up to the rhythm of music and visual entertainment.
What is a carnival? • An annual festival, typically during the week before Lent in Roman Catholic countries, involving , music, dancing, and the use of masquerade. • Carnivals will have bright lights and celebrations. They could go on all day or all night. There will be music blasting and people dancing. At some carnivals people will dress up to a theme or will wear masks to celebrate • Overall a carnival involves a public celebration or parade using some parts of a circus, masks and street party.
The celebratory food • Mardi Gras is also a time to prepare delicious treats. Alongside crepes, two other treats are prepared on Mardi Gras: waffles and beignets. Why Crepes?- • The crepes are round like the sun, so it is a reason to be happy because sun makes you think of daylight and the beginning of longer days. • To use the left-over flour before the next harvest.
Crêpes recipe
English- French-
• De la Farine 100g
• 100g plain flour • Des oeufs x2
• 2 eggs • Du lait 300ml
• De l’huile 1 Tbsp
• 300ml semi-skimmed milk
• Pincee de sel
• 1 tbsp sunflower oil or vegetable, plus
extra for frying
• pinch salt
Method • STEP 1Put 100g plain flour and a pinch of salt into a large mixing bowl. • STEP 2Make a well in the centre and crack 2 eggs into the middle. • STEP 3Pour in about 50ml from the 300ml of semi-skimmed milk and 1 tbsp sunflower oil then start whisking from the centre, gradually drawing the flour into the eggs, milk and oil. Once all the flour is incorporated, beat until you have a smooth, thick paste. Add a little more milk if it is too stiff to beat. • STEP 4Add a good splash of milk and whisk to loosen the thick batter. While still whisking, pour in a steady stream of the remaining milk. Continue pouring and whisking until you have a batter that is the consistency of slightly thick single cream. • STEP 5Heat the pan over a moderate heat, then wipe it with oiled kitchen paper. • STEP 6Ladle some batter into the pan, tilting the pan to move the mixture around for a thin and even layer. Quickly pour any excess batter into the mixing bowl, return the pan to the heat. • STEP 7Leave to cook, undisturbed, for about 30 secs. If the pan is the right temperature, the pancake should turn golden underneath after about 30 secs and will be ready to turn. • STEP 8Hold the pan handle, ease a palette knife under the pancake, then quickly lift and flip it over. Make sure the pancake is lying flat against the base of the pan with no folds, then cook for another 30 secs before turning out onto a warm plate. • STEP 9Continue with the rest of the batter, serving them as you cook or stack onto a plate.
Methode • Etape 1- Mettez 100 g de farine ordinaire et une pincée de sel dans un grand bol. • Etape 2- Faire un puits au centre et casser 2 œufs au centre. • Etape 3- Versez environ 50 ml de 300 ml de lait demi-écrémé et 1 cuillère à soupe d'huile de tournesol puis commencez à fouetter à partir du centre, en attirant progressivement la farine dans les œufs, le lait et l'huile. Une fois que toute la farine est incorporée, battez jusqu'à obtenir une pâte lisse et épaisse. Ajoutez un peu plus de lait s'il est trop dur à battre. • Etape 4- Ajouter un bon filet de lait et fouetter pour décoller la pâte épaisse. Tout en fouettant, versez un filet régulier du lait restant. Continuez à verser et à fouetter jusqu'à ce que vous ayez une pâte qui a la consistance d'une crème simple légèrement épaisse. • Etape 5- Faites chauffer la poêle à feu moyen, puis essuyez-la avec du papier essuie-tout huilé. • Etape 6- Versez un peu de pâte dans la casserole, en inclinant la casserole pour déplacer le mélange pour une couche mince et uniforme. Versez rapidement tout excès de pâte dans le bol de mixage, remettez la casserole sur le feu. • Etape 7- Laisser cuire, sans être dérangé, pendant environ 30 secondes. Si la casserole est à la bonne température, la crêpe devrait devenir dorée en dessous après environ 30 secondes et sera prête à tourner. • Etape 8- Tenez la poignée de la casserole, placez un couteau à palette sous la crêpe, puis soulevez-la rapidement et retournez-la. Assurez-vous que la crêpe repose à plat contre la base de la casserole sans plis, puis faites cuire encore 30 secondes avant de la démouler sur une assiette chaude. • Etape 9- Continuez avec le reste de la pâte, servez-les pendant la cuisson ou empilez-les sur une assiette.
The Crêpes I made I made sweet and savoury crepes.
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