We southerners joke about the fact that our seasons are not reflected in the changing of the leaves but rather in the ebb and flow of the foods we eat. We have crab season, crawfish season, deer season, Creole tomato season, strawberry season, Vidalia onion season and one of my favorites since I was a kid, king cake season.
While the days they are available at local bakeries and groceries in and around southeast Louisiana, in particular New Orleans seem to get extended a few days every year, traditionally king cakes are only available during the Mardi Gras holidays. The typical king cake is an oval or round shaped dough which is formed from a yeast risen sweet dough similar to cinnamon roll or danish dough. Recipes vary from bakery to restaurant to grocery, but the basic king cake dough is laced with lots of cinnamon and sugar and topped with icing and then sprinkled with tinted sugars of purple, green and gold. Many variations of fillings are available also depending on the shop, but some of my favorite fillings are cream cheese, raspberry, lemon, cherry, blueberry and my all time favorite is my chocolate filled King Cake. Inside each king cake is a small plastic baby which the baker gently hides after it is baked and cooled. At Mardi Gras gatherings whoever finds the piece of cake with the baby is crowned king or queen for the day and must bring a king cake to the next party. From junior through high school every Mardi Gras season some of our classes would celebrate a weekly party to honor the long tradition.
A select few bakery’s offer to ship king cakes including Haydel’s, Randazzo’s and others, usually overnight or 2 day shipping is preferred. When I operated Boudreaux’s Restaurant I sold about 2 to 3 dozen king cakes a week during the Mardi Gras season, I wished they were as popular the rest of the year too!
A Little King Cake History
The Mardi Gras season officially begins on the Twelfth Night of Christmas which is January 6, and is also known as Epiphany. It marks the day the wise men brought gifts to the Christ Child. By doing so they ‘revealed’ or ‘made known’ Jesus to the world as Lord and King.
The New Orleans custom began in the late 1800’s and celebrates Epiphany with cakes that are baked to honor the three kings. The oval or round shape signifies their circular journey to confuse King Herod. The plastic baby represents Jesus. And the search for the baby is represented by the mystery of who will get the slice with the plastic baby in it. However, with legalities the way they are many do not place the baby in the cake, but will leave it out for the customer to place it, removing any liability from the shop for supposed folks who may swallow the plastic baby. For more history about Mardi Gras and King Cakes, check out the links at the end of this post.
Ever wonder why Mardi Gras colors are purple, green and gold? The traditional colors of Mardi Gras are purple (symbolic of justice), green (symbolic of faith) and gold (symbolic of power). The accepted story behind the original selection of these colors originates from 1872 when the Grand Duke Alexis Romanoff of Russia visited New Orleans. It is said that the Grand Duke came to the city in pursuit of an actress named Lydia Thompson. During his stay, he was given the honor of selecting the official Mardi Gras colors by the Krewe of Rex…thus, did these colors also become the colors of the House of Romanoff. The 1892 Rex Parade theme (“Symbolism of Colors”) first gave meaning to the representation of the official Mardi Gras colors. Interestingly, the colors of Mardi Gras influenced the choice of school colors for the Louisiana arch-rival colleges, Louisiana State University and Tulane University. When LSU was deciding on its colors, the stores in New Orleans had stocked-up on fabrics of purple, green and gold for the upcoming Mardi Gras Season. LSU, opting for purple and gold, bought a large quantity of the available cloth. Tulane purchased much of the only remaining color …green (Tulane’s colors are green and white).
If you have never been to Mardi Gras or seen or eaten a King Cake, now is the time to share in the enduring New Orleans tradition! Tomorrow I will post my favorite King Cake recipe so you too can make your own. Or you can have one shipped and you too can celebrate one of the biggest Aha! moments in recorded history.
References
- A Taste of Mardi Gras – NPR
- Mardi Gras in New Orleans
- New Orleans Mardi Gras – Wiki
- The Traditions of Mardi Gras
Have your king cakes shipped
2 responses so far ↓
1 South of the Border // Jan 11, 2009 at 5:59 pm
Your custom of “King cakes” is very similar to the tradition they have down here in Mexico.
January 6th, Epiphany, or ‘Old Christmas” was traditionally the day that Mexican kids received presents, delivered by the 3 Wise Men (los Reyes Magos). Gradually that tradition is giving way to a more commercialized Christmas on December 25th.
The “Rosca de reyes” (essentially King’s Cake) is a very similar oval shaped cake, although the top decoration is different. These are traditionally cut/served/eaten on the evening of Jan 6th, usually accompanied by hot chocolate. Plastic babies (more than one, depending on the size of the rosca) are baked inside, not placed after baking.
“However, with legalities the way they are many do not place the baby in the cake, but will leave it out for the customer to place it, removing any liability from the shop for supposed folks who may swallow the plastic baby. ”
I just shake my head. No further comment.
“At Mardi Gras gatherings whoever finds the piece of cake with the baby is crowned king or queen for the day and must bring a king cake to the next party. From junior through high school every Mardi Gras season some of our classes would celebrate a weekly party to honor the long tradition.”
Here, whoever gets the baby has to provide the tamales for a party on February 2nd, the Feast of the Presentation of the child Jesus at the temple (“La Candalaria”, in Spanish). Or the responsibility gets split among the various finders of plastic babies.
Ed
2 gluten free cake // Jul 23, 2010 at 3:38 am
Hi,
Nice news to hear so far. Great post
Thanks,
Cygnus