Happy Mardi Gras

[robotland]

I made two King Cakes and plan to play Dirty Dozen Brass Band all day....Anyone else throwin' down for Fat Tuesday?

[robotland]

I guess everyone gave this thread up for Lent.

[regynalonglank]

the hell you say >:) woo hoo!

[Donita]

Okay, what's a King Cake and how do you make one?

[Magikal]

I did stop by the bar last night to bend the elbow with some friends. Even had an erzatz Hurricane! (not quite as good as a real one) They did have a Mardi Gras thingie here Insane Diego, but you had to pay to get in, it was downtown (read: no parking), and hey, it's Tuesday. Who the heck parties on Tuesday except committed drunks? And I'm only a casual drunk!

[kampkalamazoo]

Okay, what's a King Cake and how do you make one?

It's a ring-shaped, breadlike or coffeecake-like cake with a little plastic baby hidden somewhere within...(sometimes a coin, instead.) The person that gets the baby has to have the next mardi Gras party, or at least make the next cake. They're decorated with gold, green and purple sugar- The colors of Rex (King of Mardi Gras) and of Mardi Gras itself.
I think they're technically supposed to be made and served for Candlemas, which is around January 6 or so, but they're frequently served on Fat Tuesday or otherwise during Mardi Gras itself. Polish Catholics and bakery fans know Fat Tuesday to be "Poonchkey" day as well- They're like jelly or custard-filled doughnuts.

[theCryptofishist]

Okay, what's a King Cake and how do you make one?

It's a ring-shaped, breadlike or coffeecake-like cake with a little plastic baby hidden somewhere within...(sometimes a coin, instead.) The person that gets the baby has to have the next mardi Gras party, or at least make the next cake. They're decorated with gold, green and purple sugar- The colors of Rex (King of Mardi Gras) and of Mardi Gras itself.
I think they're technically supposed to be made and served for Candlemas, which is around January 6 or so, but they're frequently served on Fat Tuesday or otherwise during Mardi Gras itself. Polish Catholics and bakery fans know Fat Tuesday to be "Poonchkey" day as well- They're like jelly or custard-filled doughnuts.

My mother would make something simelier for 12tn Night or Epiphany--the 6th of January or the days when the magi finally made it to the stable. (a quick google search for candlemas got me Feb 2 as the date>) She used a bean. It was also crappy tasting cake.

[AntiM]

That's so bizarre, Feb 2nd in Japan is a folk festival; the kids go around the neighborhood and throw beans in the houses to drive out any demons for the coming new year. Can't remember what it was called, I do remember they'd come around to our place too. You were supposed to give them treats.


(just my rambling mind connecting feb 2 and beans ... going back to sleep now)

[theCryptofishist]

That's alright AntiM. I was googling catholic calenders and got reminded of the Feast of the Circumcision and the Assumption of the Virgin. Those always crack me up in the most irreverent way.

[Rage]

Here is an alternative...

Http://neworleansgetaway.tribe.net