Last Sunday my French exchange student wanted to celebrate Epiphany in the French way. How do they do it?
First, you put someone under the table (French, they are mad).
After the lucky person is settled under the table you cut the cake, La Galette des Rois. The one under the table decides who gets which piece without seeing the slices. It could be easier, like, to go to another room or close your eyes but hey, sitting under the table is as good.
I heard someone say something about the cake not looking and tasting the same it was supposed but I though it was sooooo good!
Une fève is hidden in la galette. Translation for that would be broad bean, or härkäpapu in Finnish. I don’t know whether there was an actual broad bean in the cake in the olden days but now a little toy of some sort is put in to it.
The one who gets la fève gets also a crown. In these poor, un-Frenchy Finnish circumstances the crown looked like this.
The one with the crown gets to be the king for the day. Unfortunately I didn’t get the crown so I have to hold on to my 8 year old memories with my fève and my crown – at least until next Epiphany.
The evening ended with Latvian pancakes, Nutella and boiled condensed milk. Food, I love you.
