Mardi Gras to go

Whether you’re in town looking to grab some Carnival-esque foods and spirits to aid in the celebration or you’re out of town and have an envie (desire) for something to ease your homesickness this time of year, here are some fun items to have on hand this Mardi Gras weekend.

King Cakes are sold at just about every bakery in South Louisiana, including Meche's Donuts, shown above, which deep fries their king cakes before decorating. Most bakeries will ship king cakes anywhere, but if you want to ship one to arrive for Mardi Gras Day (March 4), now's the time.

Swamp Pop soda is made in Lafayette with real cane sugar grown in Louisiana. You can find it nationally at World Market in their Mardi Gras section.

Rum is now locally made as well, also created from Louisiana-grown sugar cane.

Parish Brewing and Bayou Teche Brewing are two local breweries in the Lafayette area, both make delicious craft beers.

For something tasty to snack on, try these three fabulous Zydeco dips: Sweet Potato, Creole Trinity and Red Bean.