Mardi Gras!!!!!!!!!!!

My Mardi Gras and a brief History of the King Cake";" Like every Mardi Gras, my sweet grandmother in New Orleans sent me a Lemon King Cake. Mmmmmmmmmmmmmm. I shared as tradition stands, and Gabriel had the baby in his cake. I guess that makes him King for a day!! Below is the history of the King Cake taken from Manny Ranazzo's Bakery.

"The Mardi Gras or Carnival Season officially begins on January 6th or the "Twelfth Night" or also known to Christians as the "Epiphany". Epiphany comes from a Greek word that means "to show". Bethlehem is whee Infant Jesus first showed himself to the world. As a symbol of this Holy Day, a tiny plastic baby is placed inside each King Cake. The King Cake tradition is thought to have been brought to New Orleans from France in 1870.

A King Cake is an oval-shaped bakery deliicacy, crossed between a coffee cake and a French pastry that is as rich in history as it is in flavor. It is decorated in royal colors of PURPLE which signifies "Justice", GREEN for "Faith" and GOLD for "Power". These colors were to resemble a jeweled crown honoring the Wise Men who visited the Christ Child on Epiphany. In the past sush things as coins, beans, pecans or peas were hidden inside each King Cake. Today a tiny plastic baby is the common prize. At a party, the King Cake is sliced and served. Each person looks to see if their piece contains the "baby". If so, then that person is named "King" for a day and bound by custom to host the next party and provide the King Cake.

Mardi Gras has a movable date and may occur on any Tuesday from February 3rd to March 9th and ends on the day before Ash Wednesday. It always falls 46 days before easter. Future Mardi Gras dates are:

2002- February 12th

2003- March 4th

2004- February 24th

2005- February 8th"

Click here to view my King Cake Package

Click here to view some Mardi Gras Booty

Click here to view more Mardi Gras Booty

Click here to view my King Cake maker's Info

Click here to view the history of the King Cake