Let the Good Times Roll...Cajun-style! Today I'm featuring a tablescape for a Fat Tuesday Celebration. Fat Tuesday is held in New Orleans on the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday. It's called Shrove Tuesday and the name comes from "shriving," or purification through confessing one's sins prior to Lent.
My invitation sets the tone for a festive event...
The colors of Mardi Gras are purple, gold, and green and I chose these colors for the tablescape. It is generally accepted that the purple stands for justice, the gold for power, and the green for faith.
This is an informal, buffet-style setting; it's the easiest way to host this feast of traditional Cajun foods.
Traditional Cajun foods...
Desserts and beverages on the sideboard...
A festive centerpiece...
A festive centerpiece...
A lamp adorned...
Another lamp adorned... 
Candy on the sideboard...
Menu
Muffulettas...on a Stick
Toffee Crunch Cheese Cake Ball with Jezebel Sauce
Cajun Crab Dip with Crackers
Red Beans and Rice with Smoked Sausage
Mama's Warm Potato Salad
Mama's Warm Potato Salad
Bayou Beer Bread
King Cake
Beignets
Virgin Mary's
Chicory Coffee
Chicory Coffee
For appetizers, I am serving muffulettas...on a stick, instead of sandwiches. The muffuletta sandwich is a specialty and signature sandwich of New Orleans. This is my version and a much more festive presentation than the sandwich.
I'm also serving additional appetizers of Louisiana Cajun Crab Dip with crackers and a Toffee Crunch Cheesecake Ball with Jezebel Sauce, with Honey Grahams...a Southern favorite.
The Crab Dip...
I'm also serving additional appetizers of Louisiana Cajun Crab Dip with crackers and a Toffee Crunch Cheesecake Ball with Jezebel Sauce, with Honey Grahams...a Southern favorite.
The Crab Dip...
The Toffee Crunch Cheesecake Ball with Jezebel Sauce...So very Southern
More traditional New Orleans favorites...Red Beans with Rice and Smoked Sausage.
Some warm homemade potato salad--Mama's Southern style recipe...
Fresh from the oven--Bayou Beer Bread (Not my Mama's recipe)...
More traditional New Orleans favorites...Red Beans with Rice and Smoked Sausage. Some warm homemade potato salad--Mama's Southern style recipe... Fresh from the oven--Bayou Beer Bread (Not my Mama's recipe)...In addition to beer, wine, and sodas, I am serving my "signature beverage" of Virgin Bloody Mary's. 
Of course, no Fat Tuesday party would be complete without a King Cake. The King Cake is a New Orleans tradition that involves a pastry, a small plastic baby, and a party. The King Cake is baked with the small plastic baby inside; the person who gets the slice with the baby inside has various privileges/obligations--my recipient will have to host the next party. If you ever serve King Cake, be sure to tell your guests to inspect their piece of cake before they begin eating it!
The must-have at any Fat Tuesday party...King Cake!
With the dessert cake I am serving Chicory coffee. Chicory is everyone's favorite coffee in New Orleans and is available at gourmet grocery stores or online at Cafe du Monde. This coffee is made with a mixture of chicory--a flavoring that adds mellowness, body, and aroma to coffee. Add 1/2 of your regular coffee and 1/2 of ground chicory and brew as usual. Chicory flavored coffee may be served plain, or with hot milk.
Chicory coffee...Cafe au lait...
Now, you simply must crown a King and Queen at your party. So, we will be playing a Mardi Gras trivia game and the lady with the most correct answers will be Queen and the gentlemen with the most correct answers will be King!
Are you attending a Fat Tuesday Event? Don't forget to take a gift to the hosts...here's a couple of ideas...
Are you attending a Fat Tuesday Event? Don't forget to take a gift to the hosts...here's a couple of ideas...
Any host would love to receive these delicious beignets...
Remember that presentation is everything...Make it Memorable.
You can't have beignets without the chicory coffee...it's a tradition in the South. Here's a gift for the host--a can of chicory coffee, wrapped with green shred in cello, a festive ribbon, and a Mardi Gras themed gift tag, pour vous!
Don't forget your party favors y'all! "Throw me something, mister"! The doubloon (coin) is one of the most enduring symbols of Mardi Gras, so I packed each festive cup with candy doubloons and wrapped them in cello and tied it all up with ribbon--a favor for each guest--Making it Southern...Making it Memorable!
Don't forget your party favors y'all! "Throw me something, mister"! The doubloon (coin) is one of the most enduring symbols of Mardi Gras, so I packed each festive cup with candy doubloons and wrapped them in cello and tied it all up with ribbon--a favor for each guest--Making it Southern...Making it Memorable!
I hope that y'all have enjoyed your visit with me today. Thank you for stopping by...I'm off to enjoy some Fat Tuesday fun!
