What do you think of when you hear the phrase 'Mardi Gras'? It seems a safe wager to bet that most minds go to booze, boobs, Bourbon Street and beads, but there is another farewell to flesh, celebrated not so far from the capital city of organized debauchery. Yes, deep along the bayous of Cajun Country men in ornate costumes take to horseback and ride out seeking the ingredients they will need to provide a feast for their fellow townsfolk. Sounds like something straight out of Europe in the Middle Ages, right? It is in fact, but these masked marauders ride to this day, but how did this tradition find its way to rural south Louisiana? Who are these madmen? What do they want? And most importantly, what's with all this talk about a chicken?
