• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Patricia Sands

Author

  • Home
  • Blog
  • About
    • Can I visit your Book Club on Zoom?
  • Books
    • The Bridge Club
    • Love in Provence Series
      • The Promise of Provence
      • About Promises to Keep
      • I Promise You This
    • Drawing Lessons
    • Les Villa des Viollettes series
      • The First Noël at the Villa des Violettes
      • A Season of Surprises at the Villa des Violettes
      • Lavender, Loss & Love at the Villa des Violettes
    • The Secrets We Hide
  • Travel
    • Photography, France & d’Ailleurs
  • Instagram
  • If it’s Friday, it must be France…
  • Contact me

And away we go!

January 3, 2014 by Patricia Sands Leave a Comment

2014 ~ a new year to chase dreams, fulfill goals, make mistakes, learn lessons, read good books, love, forgive, laugh and generally bumble our way through life. Let’s give it our best shot and enjoy the ride!

Sadly, I know that doesn’t work for everyone. There are those who are coping with serious issues that also affect their family and friends and to them we offer wishes for the hope of relief and positive change that a new year may bring.

Above all, be kind to one another … every day, all day.

If it’s Friday, it must be France …

If you are in France, it’s again time to celebrate  … oui …  bien sûr … more food! Don’t you love it? This time it’s all about a rich, almond cream (frangipane) enveloped by layers of light, flaky pastry (feuilleté).

Another joyful opportunity to bring friends and family around the table to share La Galette des Rois/The Kings’ Cake, takes place on the first Sunday of January or January 6th and recognizes Epiphany, the arrival of the three wise men (Magis). This special pastry’s history can be  traced to Roman times. 

It’s so popular, many patisseries make the scrumptious cake through the entire month of January.

The cake is cut in the specific number of slices for the people present, with one extra symbolic slice for the first poor person passing by. The youngest child  (or the most innocent adult, if no children are present, which can result in great hilarity) goes under the table and calls out who will receive each slice to ensure fair distribution. The greatest excitement comes when one person discovers la fève (a lucky charm) hidden in a single slice.

canstockphoto12196982

Click here to read an excellent account of the history and traditions of this special fête. There’s also a recipe if you are inclined to do some baking this weekend.

I’ve just discovered that one of my favourite bloggers, Marianne of East of Malaga, has written about this very festival in Spain. Click here and hurry over to see how  they celebrate!

Have you ever tasted one of these cakes or made your own? I know there are still many other cultural and religious post-Christmas observations and celebrations to be held in the coming weeks. Tell us about yours! 

Don’t forget to drop by or just click here to visit my favourite place to learn French: eFrench Café. Ida Young-Bondi is waiting to help out with many innovative approaches!

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Reddit
  • Pinterest
  • Tumblr
  • More
  • Pocket
  • Print
  • Email

Related

Filed Under: Blog, France, If it is France... Tagged With: Epiphany, feuilleté, France, frangipane, Kings Cake, La Galette des Rois, Patricia Sands

About Patricia Sands

Family, writing and travel are my passions ... okay, and chocolate ... and I'm seldom without a camera. I write women's fiction and keep in touch with readers by a monthly newsletter that also has giveaways and contests. Come and join us by signing up on the right. See you there!

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. fransiweinstein says

    January 3, 2014 at 8:21 pm

    Bonne annee Patricia. All the very best!

    Reply
    • patriciasands says

      January 6, 2014 at 9:17 pm

      Thanks, Fransi! I’m looking forward to seeing you at some point! It sounds like you enjoyed the holidays. 🙂

      Reply
  2. Kathryn Chastain Treat says

    January 3, 2014 at 11:32 pm

    Happy New Year to you and wishing you the best that 2014 has to offer.

    Reply
    • patriciasands says

      January 6, 2014 at 9:18 pm

      And the same good wishes to you, Kathryn!

      Reply
  3. Phil says

    January 4, 2014 at 12:51 am

    Happy New Year! This is very interesting. I never knew about this. I would love to find a lucky charm in a slice of cake!

    Reply
  4. Debra Eve (@DebraEve) says

    January 4, 2014 at 2:02 am

    Love your posts, Patricia. I’ve never heard of The Kings Cake, but it looks beautiful! And thanks for the tip about eFrench Cafe.

    Reply
  5. margaret21 says

    January 4, 2014 at 3:11 am

    Somehow, we’ve never been around in France at the right moment to share la Galette des Rois. We’ll have to put this right this year. Our last chance, after all…..

    Reply
  6. cupcaketravels says

    January 4, 2014 at 6:23 am

    I have tasted these cakes while in France – delicious! Thanks for the link, I might try one for myself now 🙂

    Reply
  7. thephotoseye says

    January 4, 2014 at 6:56 am

    My favorite here in France! They are delicious and of course getting the little trinket and wearing the crown makes it that much more fun!

    Reply
  8. Darlene says

    January 4, 2014 at 10:44 pm

    What a wonderful tradition. It is the first I have heard of it.

    Reply
  9. Gloria Richard Author says

    January 5, 2014 at 2:46 pm

    Very fascinating tradition, Patricia. And, yes, I bopped over to check out the history and the recipe.

    YUM! I gained 3 pounds reading the ingredients for the traditional king’s cake.

    We see those a lot this time of year in Texas, but most are decorated in traditional mardi gras colors of green and purple. I suspect they use the type that’s brioche with candied fruit.

    Give me the traditional! The original! The gooey goodness in the middle of puff pastry.

    Reply
    • Gloria Richard Author says

      January 5, 2014 at 2:48 pm

      Oh! Meant to ask…

      Why is it only “symbolic” to leave a piece for the first poor person who walks by? I’m surprised part of the tradition doesn’t involve gifting a piece of that cake a less fortunate person.

      Someone like, say…

      Me! Standing at the door with a fork in my pocket and a winning smile on my face. 😀

      Reply
  10. jansenschmidt says

    January 5, 2014 at 2:46 pm

    I’ve not heard of this tradition, but I think it’d be fun if you were a two person family. Lot’s of cake and you’ve got a 50/50 shot of getting the lucky charm (unless that happens to be in the slice for the poor person). I guess it’s more like a 33.33 percent chance of getting the lucky charm.

    Fun stuff.

    Happy new year – here’s to big things in 2014!

    Patricia Rickrode
    w/a Jansen Schmidt

    Reply
  11. Marianne says

    January 5, 2014 at 2:56 pm

    Wouldn’t want to be the one who has to go under the table!!

    Lovely post, Patricia and thanks for the link 🙂

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Join Me Here!

RSS
Facebook
Facebook
fb-share-icon
Twitter
Visit Us
Tweet
YouTube
Pinterest
Pinterest
fb-share-icon
LinkedIn
LinkedIn
Share
Instagram

Follow Me on BookBub

Follow Me on BookBub

Follow me on Amazon

Follow me on Amazon

Available from Amazon!

Available from Amazon!

Available Now!

Available Now!

Available from Amazon

Available from Amazon

Join me and 9 of your favourite women’s fiction authors

Join me and 9 of your favourite women’s fiction authors

The Good Life France Magazine

The Good Life France Magazine

Categories

Archives

Footer

Copyright Disclaimer

© 2020 by Patricia Sands. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to use short quotes provided a link back to this page and proper attribution is given to me as the original author. All photographs on this site are copyright of Patricia Sands

Follow Me!

RSS
Facebook
Facebook
fb-share-icon
Twitter
Visit Us
Tweet
YouTube
Pinterest
Pinterest
fb-share-icon
LinkedIn
LinkedIn
Share
Instagram
  • Privacy Policy

FTC DISCLOSURE

The Federal Trade Commission requires that I disclose any relationship I have between a product manufacturer or service provider when I write about a product or service. I may receive a small commission for purchases made via affiliate links on this site such as Amazon. The above does not affect my opinion of those products and services. I am committed to sharing the work of other authors with my friends and readers.

Copyright © 2023 By Patricia Sands · Theme created and maintained by Bakerview Consulting