Bakery Blog

A Gambino's king cake iced in purple, green, and gold, photographed whole before slicing
What Makes a Great King Cake
Dough, proof, filling, icing, and how it arrives. The criteria a New Orleans bakery uses to judge a king cake. Read more...
The History of the New Orleans Jazz Fest
The History of the New Orleans Jazz Fest
It’s festival season in New Orleans! There are tons of great options this time of year, but of course, the city’s crown jewel is the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival,... Read more...
When, why, and how Sicilians turned New Orleans into their Little Palermo
When, why, and how Sicilians turned New Orleans into their Little Palermo
New Orleans wouldn’t be New Orleans without influences from a variety of ethnic groups over the centuries: the French, the Spanish, Africans, and American Indians often get the lion’s share... Read more...
More than St. Patrick’s Day: New Orleans’ Irish History, Part 2
More than St. Patrick’s Day: New Orleans’ Irish History, Part 2
In our most recent blog post, we tackled Irish history in New Orleans, from its beginnings in the 1700s all the way to nearly the mid-point of the 19th century. With... Read more...
People in green attire celebrating St. Patrick’s Day parade in New Orleans highlighting Irish heritage and traditions
More than St. Patrick's Day: New Orleans' Irish History, Part 1
  St. Patrick’s Day is nearly upon us! It has been mere weeks since Mardi Gras, but we’re ready for another parade-centric celebration. St. Paddy’s Day parades are held across... Read more...
Lent: The story about the period of scarcity following Mardi Gras
Lent: The story about the period of scarcity following Mardi Gras
The overindulgence of Mardi Gras is over and we are now in a period of scarcity known as Lent. For many, this time of the year—the more than six weeks... Read more...
Colorful Carnival dancers in vibrant feather costumes performing during a global Carnival celebration parade similar to Mardi Gras
Think Carnival season is only celebrated in New Orleans? Not so fast!
Carnival is here! In our last blog post, we dug into how the ways New Orleans celebrates this special season can be traced back thousands of years to ancient Europe.... Read more...
Participants in protective gear throwing oranges during Ivrea Carnival Battle of the Oranges festival in Italy, a historic pre-Lenten tradition.
Discover the roots of Carnival season—a worldwide phenomenon!
    During Mardi Gras, the Greater New Orleans Area—and really most of Louisiana—feels like a one-of-a-kind place!In fact, we have a phrase to describe this feeling: “Everywhere else it’s... Read more...
Vintage delivery truck from Chisesi Bros Poultry in New Orleans highlighting historic ham and meat distribution tradition.
This “VIP Ham” is Very Important to New Orleans
    The Greater New Orleans area is full of longtime family businesses. We know that because we at Joe Gambino’s Bakery are one of them!    We love supporting... Read more...
"bakery staff preparing cakes in Gambinos Bakery kitchen representing Beulah Ledner legacy in New Orleans dessert history
New Orleans' most famous mother-son duo continue to spread joy
We all know there is no shortage of famous New Orleanians. Louis Armstrong and Britney Spears. Reese Witherspoon and the Manning family. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg.But... Read more...