Maybe it’s the sugar buzz talking, but I believe king cake brings optimism. It barrels through indecision in favor of indulgence. It can brighten your day, even if it’s the last thing you eat at night.
It’s not just a cake, it’s a cultural statement. Whether you get the baby or not, you get something out of it beyond calories (though, of course, you get plenty of those too).
And while it seems ubiquitous around New Orleans during Carnival time, king cake is not here forever, at least not in its culturally-approved fashion. So there’s a get-it-while-you-can compulsion around the stuff too.
This year brings a Carnival season of mid-range length, with 47 days between Twelfth Night and Fat Tuesday. We’re already well into it, which brings new urgency to the perennial question of which king cakes you’ve tried and which ones are next.
It’s New Orleans. Yes, these questions do feel weighty. Plus, the Saints are done for the year, so we need something on which to fixate. Why not king cake?
Perhaps the biggest question in play is whether to go traditional or creative. From a simple ring of sugary brioche, this holiday tradition has spawned a cottage industry of king cake creations, and this season is shaping up as varied and vibrant as ever.
The king cake concept has become fodder for practically anything edible, and many things that aren’t. This has made some people more than a tad defensive about the future of the classic king cake. It’s not hard to find someone out there telling you you’re doing the king cake thing all wrong.
And yet for all the manipulations to the king cake out , the best-sellers from the big producers are still the classics. The alternative twists remain just that.
Maybe I’ve already had too much king cake this season, but I am feeling optimistic again. I think the tradition is in good hands, especially those sticky with purple, green and gold sugar.
