Moon Pies: Traditional Mardi Gras Treats
If you've never eaten a Moon Pie, chances are that you've never been to a real Mardi Gras parade. These individually packaged treats are popular parade throws, along with colorful Mardi Gras beads, doubloons, imprinted plastic cups, stuffed animals, and other goodies.
Moon Pies are interesting sweet treats. They are basically marshmallow cookie sandwiches. Marshmallow crème is spread in between two cookies, and covered with a candy coating. Moonpies are packaged in individual cellophane wrappers, which makes them easy to throw to crowds of parade goers from atop Mardi Gras floats.
Moon Pie Varieties & Flavors
Moon Pies come in several sizes, and are available in a wide variety of flavors. For years, chocolate and banana were the flavors of choice for Mardi Gras participants. In recent years, the available selection of Moon Pie flavors has been expanded to include orange and vanilla, along with the traditional chocolate and banana varieties.
Most Moon Pies are about three inches in diameter. The smaller version of this terrific Mardi Gras treat is referred to as the Mini-Moon Pie. The miniature version is perfect for children or those who enjoy the idea of eating one of these treats more than the actual taste.
If you're really lucky, you might catch a double decker Moon Pie during your Mardi Gras adventures. This treat is equivalent to the Big Mac of Moon pies. Instead of two cookies and one layer of marshmallow crème, you get to enjoy three cookies, coated with two layers of fluff, drenched with a flavored candy coating.
Enjoying Your Moon Pies
Some people love ripping open their Moon Pies and snacking on them while watching the rest of the Mardi Gras parade go by. Others save them for later, either enjoying them right from the package or embellishing them in some way.
I have one friend who freezes the Moon Pies she catches each year during Mardi Gras so she can enjoy them all year long. She likes to thaw them, and then heat them slightly in the microwave so the candy coating and marshmallow crème becomes slightly gooey. She eats Moon Pies prepared this way for breakfast on a regular basis, and she also enjoys them as snacks.
Try Them, You Might Like Them!
You don't have to attend a Mardi Gras parade to get your own Moon Pies. If you've never tried a moon pie before, make it your goal to at least taste one this Mardi Gras season.
