Meet The Calas, A New Orleans Tradition That Helped Free Slaves

Meet The Calas, A New Orleans Tradition That Helped Free Slaves
In this Monday, Jan. 28, 2013 photo, waitress Gaynell James serves up calas cake from the kitchen at The Old Coffeepot Restaurant in the French Quarter of New Orleans. Tired of celebrating Mardi Gras with the same old beignets? Make the switch to calas, tangy rice fritters born to go with cafe au lait. Calas (KAH-luhs) can be tough to find these days, but they have a rich history that spans the great cuisines of New Orleans. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
In this Monday, Jan. 28, 2013 photo, waitress Gaynell James serves up calas cake from the kitchen at The Old Coffeepot Restaurant in the French Quarter of New Orleans. Tired of celebrating Mardi Gras with the same old beignets? Make the switch to calas, tangy rice fritters born to go with cafe au lait. Calas (KAH-luhs) can be tough to find these days, but they have a rich history that spans the great cuisines of New Orleans. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

It's Mardi Gras, and down in New Orleans, the King Cakes, beignets and other gustatory delights are flowing freely. But if you prefer your culinary temptations with a side of history, allow me to introduce you to the calas, a Creole rice fritter with a storied past.

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