Every year at the beginning of January, bakeries in France ( les boulangeries) fill up with two types of cakes to celebrate the Epiphany:
Les royaumes (meaning kingdom):
Et les galettes:
Both of these have a secret; in them are hidden little charms called fèves (it used to be a bean – fève).
Families and friends gather to eat it, and tradition unfolds as follows:
A child goes under the table and the cake is being cut without them seeing. A first slice is put on a plate and the child decides who it is for (c’est pour qui?), and the same is done until all the pieces have been distributed. While eating the cake, someone finds the charm (la fève) and is crowned king (le roi) or queen ( la reine) thanks to a cardboard crown (la couronne).
If you would like to try to make one, scroll down for a recipe (une recette) on this website:
https://www.franceinter.fr/emissions/va-deguster/va-deguster-06-janvier-2013
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