Tag: King Cake

Boeuf Gras: Get Your Carnival Fill Before Lent

February 17, 2023

If you’ve seen the Rex parade on Fat Tuesday it’s likely you’ve noticed the enormous white bull sitting atop one of the iconic parade’s signature floats. And you’re not alone. Decades of New Orleanians have seen the same bewildering sight. Welcome to Boeuf Gras. The massive creature is known as Boeuf Gras and is one…
King Cake’s Cousins Around the Globe

February 9, 2023

When you ask most Americans where king cake is eaten, the most frequent answers you’ll hear are Louisiana or New Orleans. But, to the surprise of many, king cake is enjoyed all across Europe and North America. This is because the king cake tradition began thousands of years ago in Ancient Rome. Mardi Gras (or…
Twelfth Night Traditions of New Orleans

January 6, 2023

Twelfth Night — or January 6 — is the undisputed kick-off to Carnival season! But the Twelfth night of what? In many parts of the world, Twelfth Night and the Christian holiday, Epiphany, are synonymous. One definition of epiphany is “the manifestation of a supernatural being.” In this case, that supernatural being was the baby…
Twelfth Night and The Feast of the Epiphany

December 18, 2020

Many consider December 25th and Christmas Day to be the end of the Christmas season. Trees and decorations are taken down before the new year begins and the idea of continuing to feast after that belly-busting Christmas dinner is unthinkable. But for those who know the 12 Days of Christmas as more than a seasonal…
A Treat for Kings: The King Cake Story

August 14, 2017

Bakery Basics The New Orleans king cake is a cinnamon and sugar spiced dough that is molded into a large circle and decorated with icing and sprinkles in the Mardi Gras colors of purple, green, and gold. The king cake dough, however, varies greatly in bakeries across the Big Easy; while some lean towards a…