King Cake Parties for Tybee’s Mardi Gras-2010
It’s begun! The celebration for Tybee’s Mardi Gras began with the first King Cake party of the season. It was held at Tybee Time on the Strand on Jan. 6th.
What is a King Cake and what does it have to do with Mardi Gras?
The King Cake, a round wreath-like cake decorated with colored sugars, is named for the three kings or wise men who bore gifts to the Christ Child on Twelfth Night. The Cake originated in France in the 12th century as a homage to those three kings and when French colonists settled in New Orleans, LA, they brought the cake with them. After the Civil War, a group called the “Twelfth Night Revelers” heralded the start of the carnival or Mardi Gras season (Twelfth night to Ash Wednesday) with a King Cake as the main attraction. In New Orleans, the first cake of the season is served on Jan. 6th and once a week thereafter until Mardi Gras Day.
The cake is a yeast cake, flavored with mace and cardamon; containing a filling of sugar, butter and cinnamon; glazed with powdered sugar and then decorated with three colored sugars: purple for justice, green for faith and fold for power. When the cake is baked, a tiny plastic baby representing the Christ Child is placed into the bottom of the cake (it can also be a nut or jewel). Whoever finds the figurine is crowned king or queen for the day and is said to have good fortune for the upcoming year. They are also expected to host the following week’s King Cake party.
The Crab Shack will have a special King Cake Party on January 28th. There will be special food and drinks, live entertainment, contests, prizes and beads galore. The time is 7:00-9:00 pm. For more information call 912.786.9857.
“Laissez les bons temps rouler!”
