Where to Celebrate Mardi Gras in Kirkland

Mardi Gras has been around since 1699, and though we aren't in New Orleans, that's no reason not to celebrate! Mardi Gras, or in many cultures Carnival, has its roots in Catholicism, sort of a last hurrah to partake in the pleasures of the flesh before Ash Wednesday begins the season of Lent.

Locally, you can celebrate at Hectors tonight with drink specials and One-Eyed Jack playing live. The fun begins at 8 p.m. The Beach Cafe at Carillon Point is offering $7 Mardi Gras drink specials: The Matthew McConaughey, the Blue Bayou and the Southern Peach.

If you're looking to get your fill of pancakes, the Lake Washington United Methodist Church is the place to be tonight. The church will host a Mardi Gras/Shrove Tuesday Pancake Dinner at 6:30 p.m., with proceeds going to mission trips by church youth. For more information, call 425-885-3311.

If you celebrate like the French, you'll be making crêpes this evening, perhaps adding a little Nutella or lemon juice and powdered sugar. If you want to give it a try, here's a crêpe recipe: 

Ingredients :

1 cup flour

4 eggs

1 pinch of salt

3.5 tablespoons butter (will be melted)

.5 liter milk (about 2 cups milk)

Stir the flour, eggs pinch of salt, and milk with a whisk.

You should end up with a batter without many lumps. Add the melted butter.

Let rest 10 minutes or so.

In a very hot pan, pour a little butter to grease the pan.

Pour a half ladle of batter and cook for three minutes.

The first crêpe will be your test for the batter: If the crêpe is a little hard, dry, add some butter or some milk; If the crêpe breaks, add flour by sifting and whisking it to avoid lumps.

Toppings: totally up to you! This recipe is not too sweet, so it works well for crêpes salé--top it with shredded gruyere, ham, and mushrooms; or sliced strawberries and whipped cream. The kids, of course love nutella (you can throw in some sliced bananas, too), but my favorite way to eat them is simply, with a little lemon juice and powdered sugar.

Bon appetit!