"MardiGras,NewOrleans" news and stories

If you're lucky, you've tried it and found the baby.

Carnival means it's king cake season in New Orleans. Rings of the gold, purple and green sugary delights have cropped up all over the Crescent City, but they've likely come to your neighborhood too, as Louisiana natives -- many of whom relocated after Hurricane Katrina -- celebrate Mardi Gras (on Feb. 24 in 2009) with the king cake and its hidden plastic baby.

"It's a very interesting time for the king cake," says Chef John Folse, an expert on Cajun and Creole cuisine. His Gonzales, La., company is part of a growing number of bakeries that sell king cakes nationwide.

Mardi Gras could become a national holiday, if a Louisiana jambalaya maker has its way.

Zatarain's launched an online petition on Jan. 30 to ask Congress to make the observation of Fat Tuesday a federal law.

"Mardi Gras is a huge celebration in New Orleans, but what we've seen is people across the country -- almost 50 percent according to a national survey -- actually celebrate the holiday," Ken Beals, a Zatarain's spokesman, told Slashfood.

The New Orleans food company hopes to collect 100,000 signatures on MotionforMardiGras.com by Feb. 24 -- Mardi Gras 2009 -- and present those signatures to Congress. Zatarain's is also approaching local Louisiana officials to make the case for a national Mardi Gras.