Mardi Gras

King cakes are supposed to come with a figurine hidden in them (usually a plastic baby). The person who finds the hidden figurine in a slice must bring the next cake to the office. This exchange goes on until Mardi Gras, after which the cakes disappear fo

New Orleans: A City In The Grip Of King Cake Madness

3:00pm February 02, 2016

by David Beriss

Carnival is a monthlong season in New Orleans, when the colorful brioche cakes dominate the diet and culture. King cakes fuel workplace rituals, inspire contests and drive a collective obsession.

Semlor served at FIKA in New York City. "The interest [in semlor] is huge," says Lena Khoury, the Swedish cafe chain's director of strategy and communications.

Fat Tuesday Nordic-Style Means Big, Sweet Buns

12:22pm February 18, 2015

by Anne Bramley

Few of the rollicking traditions of Catholic Mardi Gras remain in heavily Lutheran Scandinavia. But the Nordic countries and their culinary outposts in the U.S. still celebrate with the yeasty treats.

(Left) Sauerkraut and sausage (foreground) cook on the stove at the Hutte Restaurant. (Right) Diners Roxanne Singhisen and Nick Lockyer of Pittsburgh chat at the Hutte.

Swiss Village + West Virginia + Mardi Gras Feast = Fasnacht

7:31pm February 17, 2015

by Emily Hilliard

Isolated in the West Virginia wilderness, the tiny town of Helvetia clings to its distinctly Swiss character and foodways. It all culminates with a pre-Lenten festival where food takes center stage.

The annual Courir de Mardi Gras in Mamou, La., in February 2008. In the Cajun country tradition, revelers go house to house, collecting ingredients for gumbo from local families. Here, the host tosses a live chicken from a rooftop for the participants to

Forget Beads: Cajun Mardi Gras Means A Grand, Drunken Chicken Chase

6:38pm February 17, 2015

by Eve Troeh

Courir de Mardi Gras is an old tradition in rural Louisiana. From early morning on, costumed revelers go house to house, drinking, singing and collecting ingredients for a big ole pot of gumbo.

New Orleans police officer Patrick Schneider patrols Bourbon Street in the heart of the French Quarter on Saturday.

National

French Quarter Sees Violent Crime Surge; Residents Demand Changes

11:25am January 21, 2015

by Eve Troeh

The neighborhood popular with tourists is no longer an exception to New Orleans' stubborn crime rate. A recent run of robberies has residents criticizing city leaders and calling for more protection.

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