Wednesday, February 6, 2008

Super Tuesday, Fat Tuesday, Shrove Tuesday

Whatever you call it yesterday was a big day. The turnouts for the primaries and caucuses across the states foretell of big voting to come in November. The upcoming election has gotten people stirred up and interested in politics. While the news focused on all of the numbers coming in, there was also another kind of celebration going on...at least in New Orleans. It was Fat Tuesday and Mardi Gras. In French gras is fat and mardi is Tuesday. The day is a recognized holiday in New Orleans and has been celebrated for 2 centuries with the exception of the periods during World War I and World War II.

Yesterday was also recognized as Shrove Tuesday and is symbolized by eating pancakes. Since Christians around the world are entering into Lent today, Ash Wednesday, it is customary to engage is some form of fasting during these 40 days of Lent. Pancakes were traditionally made on the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday to use up sugar, milk and eggs since "plainer" food would be eaten during Lent. By the way, in case you are counting the days between now and Easter, March 23, and discover that there are more than 40 days, it is because Sundays are not counted in the 40 days. My husband interprets that to mean he can eat anything and everything on Sundays from now until Easter! Mom

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