Just this past Friday at school, pieces of galettes were handed out to students at lunch for them to eat. This galette des Rois, translated as “kings cake” or “three kings cake”, is a cake associated in many countries with Epiphany. While I said it was a French tradition, it is a tradition in many European countries, but the cake made in every country is different. A fève such as a figurine, often said to represent the Christ Child, is hidden inside.
The three kings' cake takes its name from the Biblical Magi, who were also known as the Three Kings. In Christian tradition, Epiphany celebrates the visit of the Magi to the Christ Child. According to multiple sources, the origin of the cake tradition seems to be related to the Roman festival of Saturnalia, held in honor of the god Saturn. These were festivals so that the Roman people, in general, could celebrate the longer days that began to come after the winter solstice. For these festivities, round cakes were made with dates, figs, and honey, which were shared equally among the commoners and slaves.
In French tradition specifically, a paper crown is included with purchased cakes to crown the "king" or "queen" who finds the fève hidden inside the cake. To ensure a random distribution of the pieces, the youngest person places themselves under the table and names the recipient of each piece as they are cut. All in all, it’s a fun tradition, and the cake is very good.
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