Glossary
Beignets
From French traditions, a beignet (pronounced “ben-YAY”) is a hole-less doughnut made from deep-fried dough. The tradition was brought to Louisiana by the Acadians and made famous by Morning Call Coffee Stand and Café du Monde. In its classic New Orleans-style presentation, the beignet is topped with a large portion of confectioner's sugar (powdered sugar). Café du Monde, in the French Market section of the French Quarter, and Morning Call Coffee Stand, in Metairie, are famous New Orleans locales where people from around the world enjoy the delightful combination of beignets and traditional Chicory coffee.
Doubloons
Historically, doubloons were Spanish coins that were double-sided and made of gold. In New Orleans, contemporary doubloons are brightly colored and made of aluminum. These fanciful and highly collectable coins are popular throws during the various parades of the Mardi Gras season, and each Krewe makes their own custom doubloons displaying their name, emblem, and founding date, as well the year and its associated theme.
Mardi Gras
Mardi Gras is the final day of Carnival, a period of celebration prior to the beginning of the Christian Lent. Lent begins on Ash Wednesday, which immediately follows Mardi Gras (French for “Fat Tuesday”). While Mardi Gras officially signifies a single day in the Carnival season, most people also refer to the entirety of the celebrations as Mardi Gras.
Mardi Gras is an integral part of the persona of New Orleans and has been part of her heritage for more than 250 years. The Mardi Gras season typically lasts about a month or so and includes a wide variety of festivities that appeal to a broad spectrum of people. Numerous parades are staged throughout Greater New Orleans in the weeks leading up to Mardi Gras weekend. Each parade showcases the themed floats, elaborate costumes, skilled marching bands, and distinctive throws of the Krewe associated with that parade. The parading Krewes also tend to host formal balls for members of the Krewe and invited guests during the Mardi Gras season.
French Quarter
The French Quarter, fondly referred to by its original French name of “Vieux Carre” (“Old Square”), is the oldest and most famous section of New Orleans. Bordered by Canal, Decatur, Esplanade, and Rampart, the French Quarter resides in the heart of New Orleans, on the banks of the Mississippi River. The Quarter is full of centuries of history (both French and Spanish), breathtaking architecture, the grandeur of St. Louis Cathedral on Jackson Square, delectable dining, the infamous Bourbon Street, and more.
Vieux Carre
“Vieux Carre” is French for "Old Square" and is the original name for the French Quarter in New Orleans. The name “Vieux Carre” is still actively used throughout contemporary New Orleans, and you can find this historical name for the French Quarter printed on t-shirts, signs, shot glasses, and other memorabilia.
Red Beans and Rice
Red beans and rice is a staple dish of Creole cuisine and an integral part of Southeast Louisiana culinary traditions. It consists of red beans, the holy trinity of Creole cooking (onions, celery, and bell peppers), pork bones, and spices that are cooked slowly and served over white rice. While it was not originally part of Cajun cuisine, red beans and rice has since been adapted to join the Cajun family of standard dishes. Historically, Monday was red beans and rice day because it was made with the pork bones that remained from Sunday dinner.
Gumbo
Gumbo is a dish that is both unique in its fundamental character and unique to the individual making the dish. It is similar to a stew and is native to the Gulf coast areas of Southeast Louisiana, where it was invented over 200 years ago. Regardless of what distinctive ingredients or techniques a person uses, gumbo should always include a stock, a protein source, a thickener, and the holy trinity of Creole cuisines (celery, onions, and bell peppers). The stock should match the meat or shellfish that will be used (seafood stock for seafood gumbo, poultry stock for chicken or duck gumbo, etc.) Some of the most common styles of gumbos include seafood gumbo (shrimp, crab, lobster, etc.), duck gumbo, okra gumbo, and filé (pronounced FEE-lay) gumbo.
Bourbon Street
Bourbon Street is one of the most famous places in all of New Orleans, and it has a reputation for being a place where debauchery and revelry are embraced. Bourbon Street is steeped in history - it was named Rue Bourbon after the House of Bourbon, the French Royal Family that was ruling when New Orleans was founded.
Bourbon Street traverses the heart of the French Quarter and is filled with bars, dance clubs, restaurants, gentlemen’s clubs, and souvenir shops. On any given night, the street can be bustling, but Bourbon Street teems with tourists and locals alike during the Mardi Gras season. Ornate balconies line the street, providing an elevated platform where, for a price, people can throw the coveted Mardi Gras beads at revelers below.
Jazz
Jazz is a form of music born of the blending of music traditions from Western and West African cultures. Its roots are as diverse as its styles are varied. In New Orleans, Dixieland jazz developed early, incorporating elements of blues music and cementing the role of improvisation in the performance of jazz. New Orleans is a city that embraces and reveres its jazz heritage and continues to foster its own unique jazz styles and sounds.
Jazz Fest
The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, known simply as Jazz Fest, is one of New Orleans flagship festivals. It began in April of 1970, featuring such greats as Mahalia Jackson, Pete Fountain, Fats Domino, The Preservation Hall Band, Duke Ellington, and The Meters, and the class and quality of music at Jazz Fest continues today. Jazz Fest is held at the Fair Grounds Race Course over the last weekend in April and the first weekend in May each year and showcases artists from New Orleans and the state of Louisiana, as well as from around the world. No style of music is exempted – you can expect to hear jazz, blues, zydeco, gospel, rock, R&B, and much more on their numerous stages (while enjoying mainstays of New Orleans cuisine, such as the famous Crawfish Monica, of course).
Lagniappe
Lagniappe (pronounced “LAN-yap”) is an extra benefit or gift that often is received unexpectedly. While it comes from the Spanish word “la napa,” lagniappe is a distinctly Southern (and specifically New Orleans) tradition. Historically, lagniappe is the small gift a shop owner adds on to a customer’s purchase, but the word commonly is used to denote any time when you get a little something extra. Examples of lagniappe would be 13 beignets when you only order 12, a section of the newspaper where all the leftover, last minute information is presented, or a thank you gift you receive for attending a special function.
Pete Fountain
Pete Fountain is a native New Orleanian made famous by his skill with the clarinet and his proprietorship of a famous club in New Orleans. Fountain founded The Basin Street Six in the early 1950s and joined the band on The Lawrence Welk Show later that decade. He also played with The Dukes of Dixieland and formed a band named after himself. Eventually he jumped into the always hopping club scene in downtown New Orleans, opening a club in the French Quarter and Pete Fountain's Jazz Club in the Riverside Hilton.
Pete Fountain also founded the Half Fast Walking Club, a famous marching Krewe that parades from Commander’s Palace to the New Orleans Riverfront Hilton (walking down St. Charles Avenue and winding through the French Quarter and along Bourbon Street) early on Mardi Gras morning.
Superdome
The Louisiana Superdome is an integral part of the New Orleans city skyline. While its recent history holds some powerful and devastating images of the toll of Hurricane Katrina, the Superdome has been the site of many positive experiences and memories as well. The Superdome opened in 1971 and features a style of construction that requires no posts or poles that obstruct views. It is the home of the New Orleans Saints, the Tulane Green Wave, and the Sugar Bowl. Additionally, the Louisiana Superdome has had the privilege of hosting six Super Bowls for the National Football League, which is more than any other stadium has hosted.
Crawfish Boil
A crawfish boil is the Louisiana equivalent of a picnic or barbecue, as well as the special seasoning used when cooking crawfish for a crawfish boil. The traditional method for preparing food for a crawfish boil consists of cooking crawfish, new potatoes, corn on the cob, and garlic cloves in one large pot. Special seasonings are used, including crab boil, hot sauce, lemons, and more. All the food is then ceremoniously dumped directly onto a table covered in newspaper for a hands-on dining experience.
King Cakes
King cakes are a time-honored tradition in New Orleans during the Mardi Gras season. While king cakes are available in many styles, some with a filling and some without, the traditional king cake consists of a ring of twisted bread that is covered in icing and colored sugar and contains some kind of trinket (often a baby). The person who finds the trinket is then afforded certain privileges and responsibilities. Many of the famous bakeries and restaurants in New Orleans have developed their own original recipes and styles of king cakes for which they are well known.
Snowballs
Snowballs are a delightful summer treat specific to New Orleans. They differ dramatically from snow cones – the ice is shaved instead of crushed and a huge variety of syrup flavors typically are offered. Hansen's Sno-Bliz on Tchoupitoulas is considered the original Snoball stand, and Mr. Hansen actually designed the patented machine that shaves the ice into its mouth-watering texture.
Emeril Lagasse
Famed chef Emeril Lagasse has a well-documented relationship with and commitment to New Orleans. He served as the executive chef of the world-famous Commander’s Palace for several years prior to opening his first restaurant (Emeril’s) in New Orleans in 1990. Emeril achieved significant fame through his trademark shout of “BAM!” as he spiced dishes on his television cooking shows, and he is now the proprietor of several restaurants throughout the country.
Tipitina's
Tipitina's is an internationally recognized music venue in Uptown New Orleans, at the corner of Napoleon and Tchoupitoulas. It is named after a mysterious recording by Henry Roeland Byrd (Professor Longhair) and was established in 1977 by The Fabulous Fo'teen specifically so Professor Longhair would have a place where he could perform in his later years. In recent years, Tipitina’s established the Tipitina’s Foundation to help “restore Louisiana’s irreplaceable music community and preserve the state’s unique musical cultures,” by providing invaluable education and services to children and professional musicians alike.
Fleur de lis
Fleur de lis is French for “flower of the lily,” and it is depicted as a stylized, 3-petaled iris. The fleur de lis has many interpretations and has been used in many contexts throughout the world, so no official version of the fleur de lis exists in the contemporary world. In the United States and Canada, the fleur de lis typically is associated with regions that originally were settled by France, such as Quebec and Louisiana, and enjoys great popularity and presence in those areas. The fleur de lis more or less functions as the symbol of the city of New Orleans, serving as the logo of the New Orleans Saints football team, the city government, and many small businesses.
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