Last week we told you about Chandeleur, with its crêpes that everyone loves. This week we’re going to talk about another much-loved February culinary tradition, Mardi Gras.
The origins of Mardi Gras
In Christian tradition, Mardi Gras is the very last day before Lent (the 40-day fasting period between Ash Wednesday and Easter Day).
To prepare the body and mind for this period of deprivation, it was customary to eat very fatty foods and to celebrate. This was the birth of Carnival and Mardi Gras!
In the past, Carnival lasted from Epiphany to Ash Wednesday and reached its climax during the Mardi Gras meal, when meat and pastries were eaten in abundance.
At the time, the festival was so well attended by people from all walks of life that the pastries had to be prepared quickly and cheaply.
This gave rise to the pancakes of Chandeleur and the doughnuts and waffles of Mardi Gras.
Mardi Gras in Provence
In Provence, Mardi Gras means doughnuts, waffles and magnificent Carnivals! But it’s also the occasion to eat some very special doughnuts: Oreillettes with orange blossom.
So if you want to add a little Provence to your Mardi Gras treats, follow the guide:
The recipe for oreillettes provençales :
Ingredients (for about 10 oreillettes):
– 250 g flour,
– 2 eggs
– ½ sachet baking powder,
– 30 g melted butter
– 1 tablespoon sunflower oil,
– 1 tablespoon caster sugar,
– a few drops of orange blossom water
Mix all the ingredients together and knead the dough on a work surface for around 10 minutes.
Shape into a ball and leave to rest for about 1 hour under a tea towel
Roll out the dough with a rolling pin to a thickness of 1 mm.
Shape the dough into rectangles measuring approximately 7 cm by 14 cm and fry in a hot oil bath. When the auricles are golden on both sides, drain them on kitchen paper and sweeten immediately!
Treat yourself!
Plaisirs et Maisons de Provence invites you to stay in one of its holiday rentals and share a gourmet moment of conviviality and sharing.
If you would like to discover the riches that Provence has to offer, please contact our agency Plaisirs & Maisons de Provence or request a tailor-made quote by clicking on this link.
