Mardi Gras Season Coming Up in the South, It’s King Cake Season

I'm going home in a few weeks, and it'll be festival season, meaning, it'll be Mardi Gras Season. You see, Mardi Gras is a season, it's not just on Fat Tuesday or the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday. Let me give you a little background from someone who grew up in Louisiana and has seen and been involved in many Mardi Gras celebrations.

First, Mardi Gras is a celebration to "cut loose" and do all those things before Ash Wednesday which starts the season of lent for Catholics. During the season of lent, Catholics give something up for the season, and Fat Tuesday is the last day to feast on those things you plan to give up.

There are many traditions that go with Mardi Gras. For Louisianans, the festival season are the days leading up to the Lenten season. The festivals, the Mardi Gras Balls and traditions take place, including the parades.  One of the traditions are the King Cake. The King Cake is really just a huge donut and it comes in the traditional colors of green, purple and gold. The purple representing justice, green representing faith, and gold representing power. There is also a plastic baby in the king cake. When eating the king cake, if you are the person to receive the plastic baby in your slice, that means its your turn to buy the next king cake.

Because of liability issues, most bakers now place the plastic baby on the outside of the cake and let the customer place the baby in the cake, therefore excluding the baker from any legal issues if someone chokes on the baby.

There are several places to purchase King Cakes in South Louisiana. Everyone has their favorites. It's not hard to find the large donut shaped pastry. Believe me, I know two of the best. And you'll be doing yourself an injustice if you do not get a flavored king cake. You have the choice of plain, that just taste like a cinnamon donut, or you can go big time, blueberry or strawberry cheese filled, butter pecan, chocolate custard or vanilla. Now, that's real good sugar over dose!

If you want the very best king cake and yes, they do over night, you can Google king cake, or you can take my suggestion and Google Keller's Bakery on Jefferson Street, Downtown Lafayette. In my opinion, Keller's has the ultimate in King Cake! If you want the second best, try Poupart's Bakery in Lafayette.(pronounced Poh-Parts) You will not be sorry, and this is the only time you can order King Cakes.