NEW ORLEANS (press release) – Chefs Donald Link and Stephen Stryjewski and Executive Pastry Chef Maggie Scales of the Link Restaurant Group announce Mardi Gras king cake ordering is now open for a King’s Day kick-off on Jan. 6. Several flavors and sizes of king cakes are available at both Cochon Butcher and La Boulangerie. King cakes will be available from Jan. 6 through Lundi Gras (Feb. 12).
Chef Scales’ king cakes are filled with local flavors, from traditional cinnamon to specialty flavors, including roasted strawberries and chocolate almond. At Cochon Butcher she also serves the famous “Elvis,” filled with peanut butter and banana and topped with house-cured bacon, marshmallows, and traditional Mardi Gras sprinkles. In place of the traditional small plastic “baby,” all of Chef Scales’ cakes contain a petite pink pig as their signature “baby,” in homage to Cochon’s even-toed ungulate. Custom dictates whoever gets the “baby” must provide the king cake for the next party, keeping the celebration rolling all season long!
La Boulangerie will sell the New Orleans-style king cakes in two sizes: a 6” individual ($11) and a 9” large ($30), which serves up to 12 people. In addition, the traditional French Galette des Rois, two rounds of puff pastry filled with almond cream, is also available in two sizes: 8” ($25) and 10” ($40). It is topped with a small porcelain “feve,” bean in English.
The Elvis will only be sold at Cochon Butcher daily by the slice ($8) or as a large special-order cake ($45). Butcher also offers the 6” mini New Orleans style king cakes. Both the Elvis as well as the individual size king cakes can be ordered online and require a 48-hours notice.
The traditional king cake is a sweetened bread made from brioche dough, adorned with a sprinkling of sugar. Over the years, New Orleans bakers have expanded on the traditional king cake by lavishly decorating them with icing and sugar in the traditional Mardi Gras colors of purple, green, and gold and adding delectable fillings. The Feast of the Epiphany, also known as Twelfth Night, is celebrated on January 6 and marks the official beginning of the Mardi Gras season. The tradition of the king cakes is thought to have originated as part of this event, which honors the coming of the three wise men who traveled great distances to bring gifts to the Christ child.
