It's Mardi Gras, y'all! Let the good times roll--or as they say in the French Quarter Laissez les bons temps rouler!
Literally translated, le Mardi Gras means Fat Tuesday aka Let's Eat! The timing couldn’t be better—this blog is having big-time cravings for carbs fun and friendship. So I’m hosting a traditional King Cake celebration today, but with a bit of a twist.
First, a bit of background. For the uninitiated King Cakes help commemorate Epiphany, the day Three Wise Men honored the baby Jesus with precious gifts. They taste a lot like gooey cinnamon rolls, but the dough is baked into a ring and decorated with purple, green, and gold--the colors of Mardi Gras. Some say the shape represents unity and friendship; others say it symbolizes the circular path the Wise Men followed, in order to lead King Herod away from Joseph and Mary's baby.
That brings us full circle, to the secret ingredient in this cake: A pecan, bean or plastic doll (representing the baby Jesus) is tucked inside the dough ring before it's baked! Finding the baby is an honor; among other things, it means you get to host the next party, if you wish.
King Cake celebrations used to be reserved for Fridays during Mardi Gras, but now they happen every day during the weeks between Epiphany and Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent. But today's Fat Tuesday, which is all about eating, drinking, and other forms of merriment.
I brought the King Cake. Doesn’t it just look like a party in the making? 
King Cake image and easy recipe
Help yourself to a big ol’ slice of gooey goodness. Go on, it's guilt-free! And in lieu of throwing beads, I've got a special contest in mind. I’ll draw a name from among the revelers who’ve stopped by to join us--this Friday, how's that? The lucky winner gets a special prize, plus bragging rights.
So who wants the first slice of King Cake? Place your order in the comments.
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newport2newport
