What Is Mardi Gras?
1. Fat Tuesday
Mardi Gras translates from French into English as “Fat Tuesday.” The name is used to signify the practice of eating fatty foods before lent. In days gone by, this would have been a more significant commitment because good nutrition was harder to come by. The occasion is also recognized in some other parts of the world, albeit with less enthusiasm. In Britain, for example, there is Shrove Tuesday, with “Shrove” meaning “to absolve.” There, it is casually known as Pancake Day because of the tradition of eating pancakes, although the pancakes are different than those usually enjoyed in the United States.
