King Cake from Gambino's in New Orleans
A friend brought me a Mardi Gras King Cake. I'll take it to the office for everyone to share.
King cake is associated with the pre-Lenten celebrations of Mardi Gras/Carnival.
The tradition is thought to have been brought to New Orleans from France in 1870.
A King Cake is an oval-shaped bakery delicacy, crossed between a coffee cake and a French pastry that is as rich in history as it is in flavor.
It's decorated in royal colors of PURPLE which signifies "Justice," GREEN for "Faith," and GOLD for "Power."
These colors were chosen to resemble a jeweled crown honoring the Wise Men who visited the Christ Child on Epiphany.
In the past such things as coins, beans, pecans, or peas were also hidden in each King Cake.
The person who receives the hidden token is named "King" for a day and bound by custom to host the next party and provide the King Cake.