Le Carnival et Mardi Gras
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Le Carnival et Mardi Gras:
In French, "Mardi Gras" literally means "Fat Tuesday," so named because it falls on the day before Ash Wednesday, the last day prior to Lent...a 40-day season of prayer and fasting observed by the Roman Catholic Church which ends on Easter Sunday.
The origin of "Fat Tuesday" is believed to have come from the ancient Pagan custom of parading a fat ox through the town streets. Such Pagan holidays were filled with excessive eating, drinking and general bawdiness prior to a period of fasting. The origin of the word "Carnival" is from the Latin for "farewell to the flesh," a time when one is expected to forego earthly pleasures prior to the restrictions of the Lenten Season.
Carnival Season is sandwiched between the Feast of the Ephiphany, January 6, and Lent. Mardi Gras is always 47 days prior to Easter Sunday (the 40 days of Lent plus seven Sundays).
Since the date of Easter and therefore the date of Mardi Gras thus varies, the length of the Carnival Season also varies accordingly from year-to-year.
Mardi Gras is crepe making time again so find your recipe here.