Kings, Wings and Magic Things!

 The post-Christmas season brings its own special batch of goodies to every French boulangerie and patisserie. Just when you thought you could start the New Year with a diet, think again. January means (besides lots of bleak, cold days) it's time once again, to crown a king and queen and enjoy the golden flaky crust and soft, almond-y interior, called frangipane, of the galette des rois, or king's cake, as it's known in the US (where it's also more associated with Mardi Gras because of traditions from Louisiana). However, the French version is a completely different dessert, which you will only find if you're lucky enough to have a traditional French bakery pres de chez vous. The galette is baked to celebrate the Epiphany, a holiday which celebrates the visitation of the Magi to Baby Jesus. The holiday is historically on January 6, the day after the Twelve Days of Christmas, which begins on Dec 25. However, in some countries it is celebrated on the Sunday after Jan 1, which was the day I enjoyed my first real galette des Rois (Jan 2). The cake usually comes with one or two crowns so that whoever finds the fève (the hidden trinket, usually a baby to represent Jesus), is crowned the king/queen. Traditionally, the youngest is supposed to go under the table, and while someone else cuts the cake, dictates who gets each piece to ensure a fair game. However, since the youngest was 18, we didn't make him go under the table. I didn't have beginner's luck that day, but while enjoying my second galette, I saw something solid peaking out, and sure enough, I had found the fève! After staring at it oddly, I showed it to my host parents and asked them what it was. Since my host mom had picked up the cake while shopping at Ikea, instead of a baby Jesus, I got a small tile with Ikea's logo and one of those L-shaped screwdrivers on it! Oh the shameless self-promotion. This delightful treat also gave the teachers at my school another excuse to have a potluck lunch in the teacher's lounge! Cheese, bread, homemade quiches, desserts--and of course, wine (yep in the middle of the school day!). I do love a good French potluck.

Luckily, these delicious cakes are available all month long--and maybe even longer! Today I still saw a few bakeries with galettes for sale.


oreillettes (crispy version)

  The second seasonal treat is apparently another Lyon specialty, but which can be found in various forms all over France at this time of the year. They are called bugnes, which means angel wings, and they do indeed taste quite heavenly. I knew they were a lyonnais specialty, but I didn't realize they were a seasonal specialty for the Mardi Gras/Carnival season until about a week ago when my host mom came home with a box of these pictured on the left. I had always seen the crispy version in a couple of boulangeries in Vieux Lyon, ie tourist central, but had recently starting seeing them pop up in other boulangeries as well, along with the previously-unseen soft versions, which are very similar to the beignets of New Orleans (which are alone worth a trip to the Big Easy), a better version of your average powdered donut, especially when warm and

bugnes stéphanoises (soft version)

freshly fried. Of course I lost no time in sampling this curious new delicacy, and soon after my host mom explained to me that they were for Mardi Gras. With a little help from wikipedia, I learned that they already existed way back in ancient Rome where they were enjoyed during Carnival. The word bugne actually comes from regional French to designate the beignet, but today the two are distinct, with the word bugne referring specifically to this regional/seasonal specialty and beignet referring to other types of donut-like products available anywhere anytime. The crispy version, known as oreillettes originated in Lyon, whereas the softer version, called the bugnes stépanoises came from Saint Etienne, a small city in the Lyon region. I have already made sure to pr ofiter bien from this limited time offer. Oh quelle joie to live in a country already overwhelming in its selection of sweet sensations year-round, plus unexpected seasonal treats as well! I love it not just beca use I get to stuff my face with more delicious desserts, but because these specialties also have anywhere from hundreds to thousands of years of history and tradition behind them, and a couple of them, the bugnes and the papillottes from the Christmas season, even originated right here in la belle ville de Lyon! Eat your heart out America. This is what I call soul food.


What will they come out with next??