Parades might not be rolling this Mardi Gras season, but the good times are! New Orleanians are making their own fun, decorating their front porches to look like Mardi Gras parade floats with help from local artists. It’s called “Yardi Gras” – and like with any Mardi Gras party, you gotta have food! Here are some top recipes to help everyone around the world pass a good time Mardi Gras style, on their porches, patios and in their yards. Happy Mardi Gras, y’all!
A simple ham and cheese po-boy wrapped in foil is synonymous in New Orleans with family get-togethers (however large or small) and carnival parades (even if it’s a parade of homes!). Serve the ham thin-sliced (we used a local NOLA brand, Chisesi’s Pride® Ham) on flaky New Orleans-style French bread dressed with mayonnaise, a swipe of yellow mustard, ripe tomatoes and plenty of lettuce.
New Orleanians love their po-boy sandwiches – locally baked French bread stuffed with any number of cold cuts or fried seafood – but the simple french-fry po-boy still reigns as the original comfort food meal. It’s traditionally dressed with lettuce, tomato, mayonnaise and pickle with the option to be drenched in brown gravy.
Pan-fried pork chops on French bread are a corner-store special, found on the menu in small neighborhood groceries and convenience stores across New Orleans. They make an easy lunch, dinner or snack to go – a traditional food to fill up on for a big day at work or play.