Happy National Pancake Day! Shrove Tuesday, Fat Tuesday (or Mardi Gras), Paczki Day, Sprengidagur (Bursting Day)... Whatever you call it, today is the liturgical equivalent of a foodie free-for-all. Today is the last day before the season of Lent so Christians are supposed to only eat the plainest of foods for the next forty days. To celebrate it's time to use up all the eggs and milk and flour. What better way than to make a steamy stack of pancakes, or Paczkis or doughnuts? Better yet, head to IHOP tonight for a free stack of their pancakes.
posted by DragonBoy on Feb 20, 2007 - 35 comments

It's Carnival Time! New Orleans Mardi Gras celebrations are steeped in tradition. From beads and king cakes to invitation-only balls, carnival has been a part of the city's history since the French held private masked balls and parties in 1718. Although Spanish rule interrupted the party for 90 years, many of the krewes have been around since the 1800s. Today, parade floats are considered an art form and some krewes spend up to $700,000 on a single float. With such excess abounding, consider yourself warned.
posted by ajr on Feb 27, 2003 - 15 comments