The French King of Cakes, Galette Des Rois, in France and the World

The galette des rois, a very French tradition

The season of the galette des rois begins on the Twelfth Night and ends on Shrove Tuesday. Celebrated on 6 January, Epiphany corresponds to the moment when the baby Jesus is presented to the Three Wise Men, Melchior, Caspar, and Balthazar, who have arrived from the three continents, Asia, Africa, and Europe, to give their gifts. Like many Christian festivals, the date of Epiphany corresponds to what was originally a pagan festival.

Inside the cake, a fève or a minuscule trinket is usually hidden. Fève translates into ‘fava bean’ which was originally believed to be hidden in these cakes. Nowadays, a porcelain or plastic figurine representing baby Jesus is often put inside the Galette des Rois instead, a shift believed to have occurred towards the end of the 19th century. The person who gets the slice containing the fève gets a crown as well as the right to be treated as king or queen and choose their queen or king for the entire day. But more importantly, the finding of the fève, whether it be a bean or a figurine, is a representation of “the manifestation of Jesus as the Christ” and symbolizes the beginning of new life.

Galette des Rois is believed to have originated sometime in the Middle Ages in the 13th or 14th century. In France, it was “customary to bake [this] cake” which was initially known as Gateau des Rois. Given the celebratory nature of this food, a slice was often saved for any passing guests or the poor. While the cake may have originated during this period, the tradition of fève has roots stretching as far as the Roman Empire. During this time, the Romans celebrated a holiday known as Saturnalia which was a festival in honor of Saturn who was the Roman god of agriculture.

A major tradition during Saturnalia was role reversal between a master and slave where a king for the day was decided through a cake with a bean in it which symbolized prosperity and fertility. France would be one country in which the aspects of this tradition would be preserved. For example, Besancon or Eastern France monks would put a gold coin in a loaf of bread and elect the chief of their chapter depending on who got the gold in the 14th century. During this period, the royal court also had a similar custom in which whoever got the bean in a cake would have to purchase drinks for the entire assembly.

Although the classic Galette des Rois is filled with frangipane, there are many variations and regional specialties which exist throughout France. For example, some French pastries sell Galette des Rois with apple, caramel, chestnut, and pistachio fillings. As for regional specialties, one notable one is the Galette des Rois of the southern region of Provence. This cake, still named Gateau des Rois, is an orange-blossom-flavored brioche crown that is often seen in Spain and other Spanish-speaking countries. Other versions of the Galette des Rois are also seen in European countries like Portugal, Germany, Switzerland, and Belgium.

What’s behind France’s ‘galette des rois’ tradition?

In the U.S., the Galette des Rois is known as King Cake, and it most notably appears in New Orleans and southwest Louisiana during Mardi Gras season. Mardi Gras is an age-old tradition believed to have originated in Medieval Europe, and it spread to the U.S. when French-Canadian explorer Jean Baptiste Le Moyne Sieur de Bienville traveled to New Orleans and celebrated the nation’s first Mardi Gras in 1703. This variation of the Galette des Rois is shaped as a crown, much like the version in France’s southern province, but what makes this variation unique is the green, purple, and gold sugar that coats it. These three colors are the traditional colors of Mari Gras, each with its own symbolic meaning. Green signifies faith; purple represents justice and gold symbolizes power. King Cake’s popularity is considerably attributed to its commercialization by bakeries as well as the influence of transplanted New Orleanians. Moreover, the food is relatively easy to make, and the traditions associated with it are also simple and enjoyable for people of all cultures to enjoy.

The Galette des Rois is also popular further south in Mexico. Known as Rosca de Reyes, the king cake of Mexico is a bread that is shaped like a wreath and is topped with candied fruits. It is also often paired with hot chocolate. The people of Mexico also have a tradition of fève; however, it is somewhat different from many other countries in that whoever finds the fève must host a party on Día de la Candelaria or Candlemas on the second of February in which tamales are most notably served.

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