Lundi, Mardi, Mercredi

Ahh high school french, you have served me well.

My first Carnival season has been sublime. 

When did you last have a 5 hour brunch? Go do it right now. Make sure two of your courses are pancake based. Get rolled out of the restaurant like Templeton rat.

Unabashedly use gratuitous amounts of food color. Don't worry about being fancy. Make banana cupcakes and add dye. Presto!

P.S. Yotam Ottolenghi's Plenty has some of the most beautiful food photography ever.

Or leave it to the professionals. Specifically the professionals at Hi Do Bakery. Only $12 and better than any of the other 10 King Cakes I tried! Make sure someone else gets the baby every time. Sneaky.

Learn from my mistakes. Don't think so long and hard about what to do with the single tomato you have harvested that it gets mushy and moldy. February tomatoes? Come on.

Lunch every day last week.

Eat enough salad leading up to the big Mardi that you are composed of approximately 80% spinach. You won't be having many green things for awhile.

After all of that salad you can start the weekend off right with french toast. Or not really french toast because that is best left to restaurant professionals, but easier french toast. 

To serve 2. 

1 cup milk (cow, almond, soy, lizard??)

3 Tablespoons flour

1 teaspoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (I prefere Penzeys baking spice)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Mix all of the ingredients in a bowl with a whisk until lump free. Dip thick, sturdy slices of bread briefly into mixture and then cook on a griddle/pan coated with cooking spray. 

What should you top your delicious slices with? Oh sure, syrup never hurt anyone. But it is Mardi Gras. Best step up your game.

Coconut syrup

Be clever and place an unopened can of coconut milk in the refrigerator the night before you make this. Make sure it is not a "light" variety.

Carefully open the can and spoon out the thick portion that has separated into the top portion of the can. Along with a few tablespoons of powdered sugar to taste and a splash of vanilla whip this up in your magic bullet. (Or use your mixer if you aren't blessed with the bullet). This will turn into a thick/slightly fluffy syrup with a lovely coconut flavor. Drizzle it generously over your french toast and top with the blackberries you were so smart to get at the market.