The Twelve Days of Christmas conclude today with the celebration of Epiphany.I'll open my final gifts, take down the trees, and work at resisting....
KING CAKE.
(Click on the colorful underlined words above for explanation and recipe. If you dare!)
After we flew home on Wednesday, we stopped at the grocery store to pick up milk and juice for the next morning.
There was a display of King Cake up, which hit me completely unexpectedly.
I had already seen Valentine Day displays, and was prepared to put that decorating off for at least a month.
But KING CAKE!
I had never seen King Cake until we moved to Houston. They are only to be served between Jan 6th and the evening before the beginning of Lent, also known as Mardi Gras.
In the Southern states, everywhere you go in business settings, there are tattered remains of King Cake somewhere nearby, usually by the coffee maker.
They are VERY messy to eat. Some are delicious, buttery, light, and iced just right.
I'm a sucker for the almond spice filling.
Others are dried out horrible things. It's a real blessing when that happens. Temptation is easier to resist, and post Christmas diets stay in effect.
My six extra pounds from vacation say they will block me from wearing my cool new duds until I shed them.
My brain says KING CAKE!
I called gal pal Gail this morning. Colorado is socked for the third time, they are air lifting food into outlying areas. I figured I'd ask if she needed me to airlift her some M&M's.
Darn her...she was out SWIMMING. She works out five days a week and swims on weekends.
Now I feel like I should go for a long walk and go for a swim too.
How much walking and swimming do I need to do before I can reasonably indulge in a slice of
KING CAKE?
A Tiggie update:He has not stopped purring since we got home. His meow always sounds like a rusty gate, and he alternates purrs with pitiful meows.
Apparently he knew about Epiphany too, because last night he dragged THREE kitty gifts to our bedroom door.
His very special silvery rope cord, his knitted catnip snake from my mom, and one of the tree ornaments.
Three Kings, three gifts.
Tiggie, you so smart!
2 comments:
Up here in the great north we have not ever seen this "King Cake". While we were eating our lunch of Baked Macaroni and Cheese we were watching the news and they had a nutritionist on encouraging us to dump the rest of our baking, chocolates etc. and she had obviously not heard of this delightful custom either. Imagine my good man's suprise when he comes in later and sees a King Cake. I must hurry.
How funny that there's a King Cake!
Here in Spain we have the ROSCON DE REYES (or Tortell de Reis in the Catalan language) which looks more or less similar and is also to celebrate the Three Wise Men day (when gifts are given to children and adults as well).
Check this picture of a pastry shop on the eve of kings day (dia de Reyes), the window is full of King Cakes: http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2309/2173591892_e46b60f58c_b.jpg
The Roscon/Tortell is traditional and is made of brioche dough, if you get the hidden bean you pay for the cake, if you get the king figurine -both hidden inside- you get crowned with the cardboard crown that comes with the cake.
Great look on your blog (pre and post Christmas!)
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