The Alliance Française de Kansas City wishes you “Joyeuses Fêtes” during this holiday season and all the best in the coming year.
We will ring in the New Year with our annual Fête de la Galette des Rois. Please join us the afternoon of Sunday, January 11 at the home of Joanne and Gary Hindman. Directions will be sent to those who register.
The celebration “La Fête des Rois” (Three Kings Day) is a tradition in France that is celebrated on the Sunday after New Years and includes a king and a special cake. Each year, pastry shops throughout France are teeming with the unique and tasty galette des rois, a flat pastry about the size of a pizza.
There are three important elements to the French tradition of La Fête des Rois: the galette des rois, the féve (a small object that is placed in the galette des rois) and the crowning of the king (or queen).
The féve is discreetly placed in the galette des rois prior to serving it. The cake is then cut so that there is a piece for everyone who is present as well as a spare piece called la part des pauvres. This extra slice is cut as a symbol for loved ones who are no longer with us and for those who are less fortunate. Nowadays, the slice is also designated for the unexpected visitor and is saved for a later treat.
Traditionally, the youngest family member would slide underneath the table and designate how the slices would be distributed. This prevents cheating since the baker of the cake does not choose how the slices are handed out. After each family member was served, the cake would be eaten and the person who discovered the féve was king (or queen) for the day and crowned with a gold paper crown.
