[audio:http://www.wdde.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Mardi-GrasGreen.mp3|titles= Delaware Public Media's Cathy Carter visits Chef Mike Clampitt of Po’ Boys Creole and Fresh Catch Restaurant in Milton.]
Mardi Gras, also known as Fat Tuesday has been celebrated in New Orleans since the late 17th century.
For Catholics and some other Christian denominations, it’s a day to eat rich fatty foods before Ash Wednesday and the beginning of Lent. For others, Mardi Gras is simply a good excuse to indulge in some winter revelry.
On Tuesday, the city of New Orleans will party on a grand scale with beads, marching bands and a parade down Bourbon Street. And while the First State may be thousands of miles from the Big Easy, there are still ways to celebrate Fat Tuesday.
Chef Mike Clampitt of Po’ Boys Creole and Fresh Catch Restaurant in Milton says on Mardi Gras, his place will have a corner of Sussex County feeling like the French Quarter.
[caption id="attachment_71464" align="alignright" width="200"]
Mike Clampitt - Chef/Owner of Po' Boys Creole & Fresh Catch in Milton.[/caption]
“People come from say, New Orleans or Louisiana which we have a lot of customers that do, they actually come in and they say, ‘Oh my gosh, this is almost even better than Louisiana.’ It’s kind of like we’re sitting in Milton, Delaware, but we feel like we’re in New Orleans.”
As part of Po’ Boys' Mardi Gras celebration, Clampitt says they'll even be serving king cake.
Traditionally, a small plastic or porcelain baby is hidden into the king cake. It is usually green, gold, or purple to represent the colors of the holiday. The baby symbolizes luck and prosperity to whoever finds it in his/her slice.
Clampitt adds other cajun favorites on his menu includes gumbo, one of the restaurant’s most popular dishes.
“That’s what a lot of people talk about. One of our catch phrases on the back of our t-shirt is ‘make gumbo, not war’ and people come in just because they want to try that; jambalaya, the etouffee, all authentic cajun creole," said Clampitt. "Those are the three things that we sell a lot of.”
And if you can't get to Po' Boys, there are other places in the First State you can celebrate Mardi Gras. Rehoboth Beach hosts a Gumbo Crawl on Sunday and Del Tech’s annual Mardi Gras Party takes place February 21st on its George Campus in Wilmington.
