Mardi gras
King Cakes
In New Orleans, revelry and religious tradition are the ties that bind during Mardi Gras, which begins with the Feast Of the Three Kings, the Epiphany, on January 6. The celebration concludes on Mardi Gras (French for "Fat Tuesday") the last day of indulgence before the Roman Catholic "Ash Wednesday", the beginning of Lent.
The origin of the modern King Cake, which appears during Mardi Gras festivities, can be traced to Medieval times, when people celebrated Christ the King by giving gifts to children.
Today during Mardi Gras festivities, the King Cake has a special surprise baked into it: a tiny plastic baby representing the gift of the birth of Christ. This baby replaces the Medieval tradition of baking a coin into the treat.
The "King Cake" is an oval-shaped, braided coffee cake, filled with cinnamon sugar. It is then decorated in Mardi Gras colors of gold (power), green (faith), and purple (justice), to represent the Crown Jewels.
Now you can join in the merriment of Mardi Gras with a King Cake from HELFER'S PASTRIES. As you enjoy your King Cake, carefully look for the plastic baby.