|
|
The Mardi Gras season begins on January 6 and continues until Fat Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday. Because the exact date of Ash Wednesday varies from year to year, Mardi Gras Day (Fat Tuesday) falls on different days each year. In 2008, Mardi Gras Day is February 5. The name "Fat Tuesday" comes from this being the last day of feasting before the holy season of Lent.
The main part of the celebration was the baking of a King’s Cake to honor the three Kings. Each cake is decorated in the traditional Mardi Gras colors: purple represents justice, green represents faith and gold represents power. A small toy baby, symbolizing the baby Jesus, is baked into each cake.
In New Orleans, King Cake parties are held throughout the Mardi Gras season. Like the biblical story, the "search for the baby" adds excitement, as each person waits to see in whose slice of cake the baby will be discovered. The person who finds the baby in their slice will receive good luck, but that person is also responsible for bringing the King Cake to the next party.
Stop by our bakery and take part in a time-honored southern tradition: the King cake!
|
|
Every year around Mardi Gras time, you start to see King cakes. If you're not familiar with what King Cakes—and Mardi Gras—are all about, take a few minutes to learn about one of the South's most popular traditions.
The King Cake is made from twisted strands of cinnamon dough, topped with icing, and sprinkled with purple, green, and gold colored sugar. Today, many additional varieties of King Cake are also available, with fillings such as cream cheese, strawberry, apple, and lemon.
