This time of year, New Orleans usually is the center of the universe for Mardi Gras, but in light of the pandemic, what’s been dubbed as the culmination of carnival season, the “world’s largest spectacle” on the city’s famed Bourbon Street, is a no-go for Fat Tuesday.
But that’s not stopping the Binge Besties of The Stir Podcast from letting the good times roll by celebrating the Crescent City the way they do best: through film.
This week’s movie recs feature a selection of films that shines the spotlight on the excitement, magic and mystique that is uniquely New Orleans – from its role in post-War America, its resilience after Katrina and its reemergence as a city of triumph and jubilation.
The list features exceptional, acclaimed films such as “A Streetcar Named Desire,” “Interview with the Vampire,” “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” and more.
Watch Volume 35 of the SIP (Shelter in Place) Series on The Stir here
To go hand-in-hand with the carnival season theme, the featured treat is Circus Bark, thanks to a a recipe by Broma Bakery.
This dessert, made with a bed of graham crackers topped with caramel, chocolate, peanuts, pretzels and marshmallows, is easy to assemble and oh-so-satisfying…talk about a party in your mouth!
CIRCUS BARK
Ingredients:
- 15 graham crackers
- 40 mini salted pretzels
- 1 cup popped popcorn
- 1/2 cup roasted and salted peanuts, roughly chopped
- 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 4 ounces dark chocolate, roughly chopped
- 1/2 cup mini marshmallows
Directions:
- On a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper, arrange graham crackers in a single layer. Top with rows of salted pretzels, then sprinkle with popcorn and peanuts. Set aside.
- In a medium saucepan, combine butter, sugar and salt. Place on medium-high heat and allow to cook for 8 to 10 minutes. Alternate using a spatula and swirling the saucepan to stir the mixture every minute or so. (Note: The butter and sugar may separate at first, but after 4 to 5 minutes of cooking and stirring, the toffee will come together.) Toffee is ready when it becomes a medium golden-brown color, similar to caramel. Quickly remove from heat and carefully drizzle over graham crackers, pretzels and peanuts.
photo courtesy of Trish Muyco-Tobin - Top everything with dark chocolate and mini marshmallows. Place in the broiler on high heat for approximately 30 seconds. Do not over-broil or the marshmallows will burn!
- Remove from heat and allow bark to cool completely, about 30 minutes. Use your hands to gently break into desired bark size.
Recipe courtesy of Broma Bakery
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