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Catholic Roots of Mardi Gras
Mardi Gras has grown in popularity in recent years as a raucous, sometimes hedonistic event. But its roots lie in the Christian calendar, as the "last hurrah" before Lent begins on Ash Wednesday. That's why the enormous party in New Orleans, for example, ends abruptly at midnight on Tuesday, with battalions of streetsweepers pushing the crowds out of the French Quarter towards home.  Mardi Gras literally means "Fat Tuesday" in French. The name comes from the tradition of slaughtering and feasting upon a fattened calf on the last day of Carnival. The day is also known as Shrove Tuesday (from "to shrive," or hear confessions), Pancake Tuesday and fetter Dienstag. The custom of making pancakes comes from the need to use up fat, eggs and dairy before the fasting and abstinence of Lent begins.
 For more information and history visit AmericanCatholic.org

Mardi Gras in New Orleans

For fear that the right to party could easily be taken away again, a group of men formed to ensure that the Mardi Gras festivities and parade would be put on in a professional manner, and in 1867 they became known as The Mystick Krewe of Comos. And they formed their first parade through the city using flambeauxs to light the procession.

"Throws" arebeads and other trinkets that have been tossed from floats since as least 1910 — transforming parades into a participatory experience, as spectators beg and scramble for treasure. As recently as the 1960s, most Mardi Gras beads were hand-strung and made of glass. Imported from Eastern Europe, they were too expensive to be thrown in liberal quantities by float riders. Catching a single strand was considered a blessed event. Then along came cheap plastic beads, imported from the Orient. As the bead industry evolved and its wares became bigger, gaudier and more widely available.

For more information and for live video of the Mardi Gras events in New Orleans visit MardiGras.com

What is a paczki?  
A paczki (pronounced “Poonch-key”) is a Polish donut. It uses a richer batter than traditional donuts. A paczki is a deep-fried piece of dough shaped into a flattened sphere and filled with jam or other sweet filling. A traditional filling is marmalade made from fried rose buds. Fresh paczki are usually covered with powdered sugar, icing or bits of fried orange zest.

Traditionally, the reason for making paczki has been to use up all the lard, sugar and fruit in the house, which are forbidden during Lent. They are eaten especially on Fat Thursday, the last Thursday before Lent (not to be confused with Fat Tuesday). Polish immigrants have popularized this type of doughnut in some parts of the United States, especially in Metro Detroit. Where, prunes are considered the traditional filling, but many others are used as well, including lemon, strawberry, Bavarian cream, and raspberry.

Due to French influence, paczki are eaten on Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday) rather than on Fat Thursday. In the Polish community in Hamtramck, a Detroit enclave, an American-style Paczki Day Parade is organized annually on Mardi Gras (also known as Paczki Day in the region).

POLSKE PACZKI

• 2 ounces compressed yeast (refrigerated)
• 2 cups milk, scalded and cooled
• 6 to 7 cups all purpose flour, divided
• 1 whole egg
• 4 egg yolks
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• Grated rind of 1 lemon
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• Shortening for deep frying
• Jam or preserves of your choice

Dissolve yeast in lukewarm milk, then add 2 cups of the flour. Allow to stand in a warm place for 1/2 hour.

Combine the next six ingredients (whole egg through salt) and beat mixture on high until very light and fluffy. (Use a standing mixer if you have one -- this takes about 10 minutes.)

Add yeast-flour mixture. Add melted butter and remaining flour and knead until smooth. Cover and allow to double in bulk in a warm place.

Turn out dough on a lightly floured surface and roll out to 1/2 inch thickness. Cut with a doughnut cutter or glass (we used the rim of a glass 3 inches in diameter). Place doughnuts on cookie sheets. Cover and let rise again until doubled and light.

Preheat shortening to 365 degrees in a deep-fat fryer or a deep, heavy saucepan. Use sufficient fat to cover doughnuts. Place doughnuts in hot fat, making sure they're not crowded. Fry to a golden brown on both sides. Drain on paper towels.

To fill: Make a slit about 1 1/2 inches long on the side of the doughnut. Use any favorite preserves (we used strawberry and raspberry). Using a teaspoon, insert the preserves into the doughnut. Roll finished paczki in powdered sugar.

Note: Paczki are best served the same day.

What is King Cake?
The New Orleans tradition, begun in the 1870s, borrows heavily from European customs. As part of the celebration of Mardi Gras, it is traditional to bake an oval cake in honor of the three kings - the King Cake. The shape of a King Cake symbolizes the unity of faiths. Each cake is decorated in the traditional Mardi Gras colors: purple represents justice, green represents faith and gold represents power. A small baby, symbolizing the baby Jesus, is baked into each cake.

In New Orleans, King Cake parties are held throughout the Mardi Gras season. In offices, classrooms, and homes throughout the city, King Cakes are sliced and enjoyed by all. Like the biblical story, the "search for the baby" adds excitement, as each person waits to see in whose slice of cake the baby will be discovered. While custom holds that the person who finds the baby in their slice will be rewarded with good luck, that person is also traditionally responsible for bringing the King Cake to the next party or gathering.

 The traditional King Cake is made from twisted strands of cinnamon dough, topped with icing, and sprinkled with purple, green, and gold colored sugar. Today, many additional varieties of King Cake are also available, with fillings such as cream cheese, strawberry, apple, and lemon.

• ½ cup warm water (100-115 degrees F) 
• 2 tablespoons of yeast 
• ½ cup sugar, plus 2 teaspoons 
• 3 ½ to 4 cups flour 
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg 
• 2 teaspoons salt 
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest 
• ½ cup warm milk 
• 5 egg yolks 
• ½ cup butter 
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon 
• 1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon milk, for egg wash 
• Icing 
• 3 cups confectioner's sugar 
• ¼ cup lemon juice 
• 3-6 tablespoons water 
• Additional sugar & food coloring for decoration 
• 1 tiny 1" baby doll (see notes above)

Sprinkle yeast and two teaspoons sugar over warm water in a small shallow bowl. Allow to rest for 3-5 minutes, and then mix thoroughly. Set bowl in a warm, draft-free place until yeast starts to bubble up and mixture almost double in volume, about 10 minutes.

In a large mixing bowl, mix 3 ½ cups flour, ½ cup sugar, nutmeg, lemon zest, and salt. In mixing bowl of a heavy-duty electric mixer or food processor, combine yeast, milk, and egg yolks. Gradually add dry ingredients, and softened butter, adding additional flour as necessary to achieve a medium-soft ball. Knead dough, again adding flour if necessary, until smooth, shiny, and elastic, about 10 minutes.

Place dough in a covered, buttered bowl, in a warm, draft-free place until doubled, about 1 ½ hours. In the meantime, butter a large baking sheet and set aside.

When dough has risen, remove and punch down. Sprinkle with cinnamon and form into a cylinder, then twist this cylinder into a circle. Pinch the ends together to complete the circle. Once again, cover and let rise until doubled, about 45 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Brush top and sides of cake with egg wash and bake for 25-35 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool on wire rack completely before hiding baby doll inside or icing and decorating.

Icing:
Mix sugar, lemon juice and 3 tablespoons of water until mixture is smooth, adding more water as necessary to achieve a smooth, spreadable consistency. Spread icing over cake and immediately sprinkle colored sugar in alternating color rows.