Today is Fat Tuesday or Mardi Gras. It is the last day of excess before the traditional Christian season of Lent, or fasting and abstinence. In the U.S., Mardi Gras has become synonymous with New Orleans, in Rio de Janeiro, Carnival is the same celebration of excess.

Today we'll be having Jambalaya. My brother-in-law, Michael, from San Francisco, has a fabulous recipe, but for the life of me I cannot lay my hands on it today, so this recipe from myrecipes.com for Jambalaya with Shrimp and Andouille Sausage will have to do: Laissez les bon temps rouler!