Mardi Gras

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Mardi Gras

• Also known as Fat Tuesday and Shrove Tuesday

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What is Mardi Gras?

• Mardi Gras marks the last day of the carnivals
  taking place before Lent (the time for the
  Christian community to avoid eating fat).
• In some countries the carnival is celebrated for
  one full week before Lent.
• It is celebrated in Christian countries (those
  mainly Catholic)
• It has replaced old Roman and Celt rituals where
  spring was celebrated.
• Mardi Gras is the last opportunity for
  merrymaking and indulging in food and drink.

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Other names for Mardi Gras

• Other names for Shrove Tuesday
• United Kingdom, Ireland, and Australia - Shrove
  Tuesday or Pancake Day
• Brazil - Terça-feira gorda - Fat Tuesday - the
  final day of Brazilian Carnival.
• Greece - Apocreas, which means "from the meat"
  since they don't eat meat during Lent, either.
• Sweden - Fettisdagen (Fat Tuesday).
• USA In Catholic and French-speaking parts of the
  United States this day is called Mardi Gras.
• Germany - "Fastnacht" (Also spelt "Fasnacht",
  "Fasenacht", "Fasteloven" (in the Rhine area) or
  "Fasching" in Bavaria.)
• In Iceland the day is known as "Sprengidagur"
  (Bursting day).

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Time line

• Mardi Gras celebrations can start as early as
  January 6 (the feast of Epiphany).
• The festivities end at midnight on Tuesday, the
  day before Ash Wednesday (the beginning of Lent).
• Like Ash Wednesday, the date Mardi Gras falls on
  depends on the date of Easter, always occurring
  46 days before Easter.

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What are the special foods of Mardi Gras?

• The name Mardi Gras (or Fat/Shrove Tuesday) is
  the day where people eat up the last of their
  remaining fatty foods before going into Lent.
• It has become a tradition to make doughnuts and
  fried sweet fritters on that day.
• Traditionally we also stop eating eggs so people
  use them up by making pancakes before the start
  of Lent.

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Mardi Gras is marked by spectacular parades
featuring floats, pageants, elaborate costumes,
masked balls and people dancing in the streets.
The tradition of Mardi Gras is celebrated
annually around the world. The most famous
modern Mardi Gras carnivals are held in New
Orleans, USA Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Nice,
France Cologne, Germany and Venice, Italy.
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Facts about Mardi Gras

• The word "carnival" comes from the Latin
  "carnelevare" which means removing the meat.
  The removal of meat is during Lent, the 46 days
  before Easter.
• The carnival is a time of joy and freedom.
• The festival is accompanied by dances symbolic of
  farandoles.
• People hide under their costumes and masks so
  no-one knows who they are.
• It's a topsy-turvy world dressing up, eating all
  you want, coming out singing in the streets.

The official colours of Mardi Gras are Purple ?
Justice Green ? Faith Gold ? Power
farandole is a chain of people dancing holding
hands.
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Pancake (crêpe) Recipe

• Ingredients, make about 8 pancakes
• 250g/10oz plain flour, sifted
• pinch of salt
• 3 eggs
• 1 pint of milk
• 50g/2oz butter
• Directions
• In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour
  and the eggs. Gradually add in the milk and
  water, stirring to combine. Add the salt and
  butter beat until smooth.
• Heat a lightly oiled frying pan over medium high
  heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the frying
  pan, using approximately 1/4 cup for each crêpe.
  Tilt the pan with a circular motion so that the
  batter coats the surface evenly.
• Cook the crêpe for about 2 minutes, until the
  bottom is light brown. Loosen with a spatula,
  turn and cook the other side. Serve hot.

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The characters of Mardi Gras

• Pierrot is a Lunar character, a great dreamer.
  His face is white and so is his costume large
  trousers and a blouse with a collar and very
  large black buttons down the front. Sometimes he
  has a tear that runs from under the eye.
• Arlequin (Harlequin) is a funny character so poor
  that his costume is full of holes. To hide the
  holes, he has sewn on odd pieces of cloth which
  make his suit one of different coloured
  diamonds.
• Polichinelle (Punch) is quick-witted, sarcastic
  and cynical. He has a bump both in front and
  behind, and a horrible crooked nose. He wears a
  suit and a big hat.