Although the biggest Mardi Gras celebration happens on Fat Tuesday, I recommend you have your own party, complete with beads and masks, this Saturday night. Serve a delectable spread of Southern finger foods, including some classic New Orleans dishes. I've scoured our recipes to come up with an amazing menu, so check it out now!
Not only did he reveal his favorite aphrodisiacs, but handsome chef David Bazirgan, of the Fifth Floor Restaurant, also shared his recipe for oyster chowder! With its creamy, velvety broth and chunks of plump oysters and soft potatoes, this chowder is to die for. At Fifth Floor, the chef serves it in a shot glass as part of an appetizer that features oysters five ways. 
When offering it at home as a seductive starter or entrée, I recommend reducing the amount of half and half. His recipe calls for a soup base that's entirely half and half, but that's a bit rich, so I cut it with chicken broth. The resulting chowder is briny, bacony, and brilliantly delicious. For easy-shucking, soak the oysters in water. Ready for the recipe? Read on.
