Mardi Gras brings soul food to the prairies

The centre will host the annual Mardi Gras on February 15 and 16, a big bash designed to heat up a Winnipeg winter and get people into the carnival spirit.

120 pounds of alligator is being shipped up from Louisiana for the occasion. Yes, you read that right. "Alligator has its own very unique taste," Harty says. "I guess it's kind of like a cross between fish and chicken." The meat will be ground up, blended with spices, then fried up into fritters.

Also on the menu will be crawfish étouffée, a rich stew-like concoction thickened with black roux. "It's the most challenging of all roux to make," explains Harty. "The blackening of it and the cooking of it to that degree gives it somewhat of a nutty flavour."

Roux also thickens the gumbo, Louisiana's classic soup redolent of okra. "We're also offering a dish that is synonymous with Louisiana and New Orleans and that is shrimp creole," Harty adds. Rounding out the menu offerings will be crab cakes, freshly shucked oysters, deep fried oyster po'boys and sweet potato fries, all made to order.