KING CAKES In a city known for its fine food, it's not hard to imagine that one of the Carnival's most favorite traditions is itself edible.  More than a quater-of-a-million king cakes will be consumed in the first two months of the season. The custom has its mysterious roots in pre-Medieval Europe.  While the story is open to many interpretations, in its simplest form the tradition consists of someone finding a tiny object hidden inside the cake.  That person, the "king" is then responsible for buying the next cake or throwing the next party. Mardi Gras starts on the Feast of the Epiphany or King's Day (Jan. 6, the twelfth day of Christmas when the three kings visited the Christ Child.)  The first documented connection between Mardi Gras and the king cake came on January 6, 1870, at the first ball of a new organization called the Twelfth Night Revelers.  They introduced a giant cake with a bean inside and offered slices to the ladies-in-waiting.  The Lord of Misrule, the Twelfth Night Revelers leader, bungled the presentation, so the golden bean wasn't claimed until the next year when Mardi Gras finally crowned its first queen. Over the years the item tucked inside the cake has included coins, beans, pecans, and peas.  In the 1930's, since many of these objects were being swallowed, a more formidable porcelain doll was inserted.  (Contrary to popular belief, this figure did not represent Jesus.)  Sanitary and monetary factors caused these China dolls to be replaced with the plastic ones of today. King Cakes are made from sweet dough and are oval-shaped.  Some are filled with cream cheese and apple, cherry, or strawberry and are topped with sugar granules in the Carnival colors of purple, green and gold.  Each cake contains one baby doll.  

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THROWS    "Throw Me Something Mister" Both young and old can be heard saying, "throw me something, Mister."  The prizes that get thrown are:  Doubloons come in many different colors. They depict the parade theme on one side and the Krewe's emblem on the other. If you're lucky enough to catch one, hold onto it -- they have become collectors' items.  Another prized item will be the painted silver and gold coconuts thrown by the Zulu club.       Other popular throws include beads of all sizes and colors, bikini underwear, small footballs, and stuffed animals.  Most crews also throw cups that bear the name of their club and the theme for the current year.      

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Mardi Gras Links     MardiGrasNewOrleans.Com  A Brief History of Mardi Gras  Richard Simmons' Mardi Gras Tips  Goin' To The Mardi Gras Virtual Mardi Gras  Mardi Gras New Orleans  Chip's Mardi Gras Links  FatTuesday.com Home Page  Best of New Orleans Mardi Gras Guide  Official New Orleans Mardi Gras  New Orleans Net: Carnival Central  

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