When in Louisiana, eat as the Louisianans do....What is Louisiana famous for.... Mardi Gras! We have started seeing "King Cakes" appear in the grocery stores, and the kids even had a school fundraiser selling them. I am thinking, "What are King Cakes?" Well, I didn't buy any from the school ($20 a cake) and I had to ask native Louisianans what they were for, but we did decide to buy on from the store ($10) and check it out. It tasted pretty good. Here is what we found out about King Cakes....
King Cake History:
The King Cake tradition came to New Orleans with the first French settlers and has stayed ever since. Like the rest of Mardi Gras during those early days, the king cake was a part of the family's celebration, and really didn't take on a public role until after the Civil War. In 1870, the Twelfth Night Revelers held their ball, with a large king cake as the main attraction. Instead of choosing a sacred king to be sacrificed, the TNR used the bean in the cake to choose the queen of the ball. This tradition has carried on to this day, although the TNR now use a wooden replica of a large king cake. The ladies of the court pull open little drawers in the cake's lower layer which contain the silver and gold beans. Silver means you're on the court; gold is for the queen.
With the TNR making a big deal over the king cake in the society circles, others in the city started having king cake parties. These parties particularly among children, became very popular and have also continued to today. The focus of today's king cake party for kids has shifted more to the school classroom than the home, however. Up through the 1950s, neighborhoods would have parties. One family would start the ball rolling after Twelfth Night, and they'd continue on weekends through Carnival. Whoever got the baby (the coin or bean had changed to a ceramic or porcelain baby about an inch long by then) in the king cake was to hold the next party. You can still hear stories from folks who were kids during the Great Depression of what their mommas would do to them if they came home with the baby from a king cake party, since so many families were short on money then.
With the TNR making a big deal over the king cake in the society circles, others in the city started having king cake parties. These parties particularly among children, became very popular and have also continued to today. The focus of today's king cake party for kids has shifted more to the school classroom than the home, however. Up through the 1950s, neighborhoods would have parties. One family would start the ball rolling after Twelfth Night, and they'd continue on weekends through Carnival. Whoever got the baby (the coin or bean had changed to a ceramic or porcelain baby about an inch long by then) in the king cake was to hold the next party. You can still hear stories from folks who were kids during the Great Depression of what their mommas would do to them if they came home with the baby from a king cake party, since so many families were short on money then.
So basically, you eat this cake and whoever gets the plastic baby has to buy the next cake and/or host the next party. Just so you know, Joshua got the baby, so I guess he has to buy the next cake!
3 comments:
Pretty cool. I love how the cake box has a warning on it. Baby inside. Very funny. I think it is very cool that you get to experience all these different cultures.
Wow, maybe you'll like King Cakes so much you'll decide to settle in Louisiana permanently! Looks yummy!
I'm always up for a little cake - guess you're having a party soon :) and THANKS for the comment on our LOVELY weather on my blog! miss you :)
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