Late Tuesday

By Ben Olson
Reader Staff

It might seem like Mardi Gras is one big party filled with beads, booze and public debauchery, but the origins of this annual event actually date far back to medieval Europe. The celebrations began as a Catholic holiday called Mardi Gras (“Fat Tuesday” in French), which refers to the ritualistic eating of rich food and meat before the traditional 40 days of fasting that accompany the season of Lent. 

Before it was a Catholic holiday, pagans around the world celebrated spring and fertility rites of passage that included celebrations, feasting and debauchery of all sorts. In other parts of the world, this period of feasting is generally referred to as “Carnival,” which officially ends on the day of Mardi Gras (which fell on Feb. 21 this year).

Also referred to as “Shrove Tuesday” or “Pancake Day,” Mardi Gras was common in Italy and France. These traditions eventually came to our shores thanks to French-Canadian explorer Jean Baptiste Le Moyne Sieur de Bienville, who landed about 60 miles south of what would become New Orleans in 1699. He landed on the eve of Mardi Gras, naming the place “Pointe du Mardi Gras.” After establishing Fort Louis de La Mobile (now Mobile, Ala.), in 1703 the tiny settlement celebrated North America’s first Mardi Gras.

A wood engraving with watercolor by James Earl Taylor, showing the March 6, 1867 procession of the “Mystic Krewe of Comus” in New Orleans.

The festivities expanded through the years, encompassing parties, fancy balls and (of course) the now-iconic parades. That continued until the 1760s with Spanish control of the city. The new authorities took a dim view of the immoral goings on, and worked to stamp them out. Those prohibitions stayed in place even after the French took back New Orleans from the Spanish by treaty in 1800.

However, things started to change — again — when French leader Napoleon Bonaparte sold New Orleans (and the rest of the lands regained from the Spanish) to the newly created United States government under the terms of the Louisiana Purchase in 1803. After that, the public celebration became recognized, but still not looked kindly upon by the civic moralizers. That is, until 1837, when revelers engaged in the first Mardi Gras parade on record in the U.S.

Alas, the lavish celebrations again fell out of popularity about 12 years later, and it wasn’t until 1857 when a secret group named the Mistick Krewe of Comus strove to give new life to the holiday once and for all with a themed parade and ball. 

This time, it stuck. Celebrations and parades began to attract larger crowds and more secret “krewes” formed, each adding their own flavor to the annual revelry. 

Newspapers announced Mardi Gras ahead of time, floats became more elaborate and expensive, and their themes became more exotic and intricate over time. Finally, in 1875, Louisiana Gov. Henry Warmoth signed the “Mardi Gras Act,” establishing Fat Tuesday as an official holiday in the state and the Big Easy the epicenter of all the colorful chaos. 

Today, Mardi Gras is as big as ever, regularly drawing more than 1 million visitors to the streets of New Orleans for the parades and parties. The annual event has contributed $164 billion to the New Orleans economy, which has been ravaged by the COVID-19 pandemic and Hurricane Katrina, which did more than $100 billion in damages to the Gulf Coast in 2005.

Even though this year’s Mardi Gras has already passed (and provided you haven’t given it up for Lent), there’s no reason not to enjoy some of the holiday’s signature cuisine. This twist on the classic Cajun dish jambalaya is tasty and — bonus in the frozen north — will keep you warm and satisfied.

CAJUN JAMBALAYA — NORTH IDAHO STYLE • This Cajun jambalaya recipe was cobbled together using various recipes online, including one by Emeril Lagasse. What makes it North Idaho style is the substitution of local Wood’s smokies. We normally don’t use chicken with this recipe because it’s unnecessary, but traditional jambalayas have sausage, shrimp and chicken. If you want to stick to tradition, include ½ pound boneless diced chicken thighs. Serves 6.

Ingredients:

• Half pound of peeled, deveined shrimp, chopped

• 1 tbsp cajun seasoning

• ¼ c. olive oil

• 1 c. chopped onions

• 1/2 c. chopped green peppers

• 1 c. chopped celery

• ½ c. chopped carrots

• salt and pepper to taste

• 4 cloves of chopped garlic

• ½ c. chopped tomatoes

• 4 bay leaves

• 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

• 2 tsp Frank’s Red Hot sauce

• 1 ½ c. long grain jasmine rice

• 3 ½ chicken stock

• 2 Wood’s smokies (jalapeno cheese flavor)

• Chopped green onion for garnish

Directions:

Toss the shrimp (and chicken if using) with Cajun seasoning to coat evenly and set aside.

Heat oil in a heavy pot like a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onions, peppers, carrots, celery, salt and pepper and cook, stirring, for about 10 minutes until vegetables have softened. Add garlic, tomatoes, bay leaves, Worcestershire and Frank’s Red Hot and cook for a few more minutes. Then stir in rice and broth. 

Bring rice to a simmer, cover and reduce heat to low and cook until most of the liquid is absorbed and rice is tender — usually about 15 minutes. Stir in shrimp (and chicken if using) as well as the Wood’s smokies. If you’re not into extra spice, use the regular Wood’s smokies instead of the jalapeno cheese flavor.

Cover and cook for about 10 minutes.

Turn off heat and allow the jambalaya to continue to steam for 10 more minutes before serving with green onion for garnish.