Mardi Gras and King Cake History

Mardi Gras (also called "Strove Tuesday") is a world wide winter celebration stemming from the carnival. "Mardi Gras" is French for "Fat Tuesday".  Some of the most famous Mardi Gras celebrations take place in the United States' southern region, particularly in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Brought to the area by French settlers in the 1699, the New Orleans Mardi Gras period begins on "Twelfth Night" (January 6) and continues until the day before Ash Wednesday, which marks the beginning of Lent. Mardi Gras is presented as a great festival, a boisterous carne vale--or "good-bye to the flesh"--that serves as the last sowing of wild oats before the onset of the sober season of Lent heralded by Ash Wednesday.

Even though the whole celebration period beginning on Twelfth night is referred to as "Mardi Gras," the name is most commonly associated with the weekend before Ash Wednesday. During these days, the population of New Orleans doubles, and there are parades every night where people throw candy, beads, and toys into the enormous crowds! The traditional Mardi Gras colors of gold, purple, and green are everywhere, and there are also balls, dancing in the streets, and contests to see who can come up with the most elaborate costumes and masks!

In parts of Europe, especially England and Ireland, the day before Ash Wednesday is known as "Pancake Day!" In the past many foods, such as eggs or butter, were forbidden during the Lent period, so people wanted one last chance to indulge before they gave them up until Easter. So while there are still Mardi Gras celebrations, on this particular day it's considered good luck to eat pancakes.
 
King Cake
The first week of January in New Orleans starts the King cake season. King cakes first appeared after 1872, when the Rex Krewe selected the Mardi Gras colors (purple, green and gold). The traditional King cake is a coffee cake, and is oblong and braided. It is iced with a simple icing and covered with purple, green and gold sugar. Each cake contains a hidden bean or small plastic baby, and custom tells that whoever finds it must either buy the next King cake or throw the next King cake party. One Mardi Gras organization uses the King cake tradition to choose the queen of its annual ball. Hundreds of King cake parties are thrown every year and hundreds of thousands of cakes are made, bought and eaten every year.

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