Extend Christmas!
Celebrate 12th night
During the Middle Ages Christmas wasn't just one
day, it was a whole season that began on Christmas day and ended
12 days later. January 6 th became known as 12 th Night. At the
council of Tours in 567 the Church declared 12 th Night the feast
of the Epiphany, but the celebration goes back as far as the Basilidian
heretics from the 2nd century.
Many food traditions are associated with this holiday. In Cornwall
it was considered lucky to eat blackbird pie on 12 th Night. Throughout
Europe wassailer's would make their rounds from house to house
having their cups filled with hot spiced cider, ale, or syllabub.
And nobles of every country would throw grand feasts, where elaborately
decorated 12 th night pies were served and when cut open revealed
flocks of live birds, frogs or even a small person! "Now
wasn't that a dainty dish to set before the King!"
The most prevalent 12 th night food tradition is the choosing
of the King, sometimes called the King of fools or the King of
the bean, with a 12 th Night cake. A small bean is baked into
a cake and the person who gets the piece containing the bean rules
as King for a day. Some say the bean represents the baby Jesus,
others suggest it is included because it was a sacred vegetable
of the ancients.
The tradition of choosing a King who presides over festivals
dates back to the Roman celebration of Saturnalia.
The cake, Gateaux des Rois or Galette de Rois (Kings Cake), originated
at the French monastery of Mont-St-Michel in the 13 th century
where a monk was chosen, by means of the bean, to sit on a special
throne. The "Bean King" is also mentioned in English
royal accounts as early as the reign of Edward the Second, 1307-1327.
The tradition was firmly entrenched by the 17 th century when
Robert Herrick (1591-1674) wrote;
"Now, now the mirth comes
with the cake full of plums,
Where bean's the king of the sport here;"
In modern France the 12 th Night cake still has its place. In
the north it is usually made of puff pastry and frangipane, a
sweet pastry cream, and glazed with egg yolks. In the south it
is a brioche dough, shaped into a crown, and flavored with candied
fruit and brandy.
The following recipe follows the southern tradition which is
more like a bread than a cake. Don't forget to put the bean in
and warn your guests!
12th Night Cake
1/4 cup brandy
1/2 cup candied orange peel
1/4 cup flour
2 packages dry yeast
4 tablespoons warm water
1 tablespoon sugar
2 1/4 cups flour
3 eggs
1 stick butter
1 bean
Note: eggs and butter must be at room temperature.
In a small bowl combine brandy and orange peel. Set aside.
In a large bowl combine warm water, yeast, sugar and a 1/4 cup
flour. Cover and set aside in a warm spot.
In another large bowl place 2 1/4 cups flour. Create a well in
the center. Crack the eggs into the well and with a fork beat
them, combining a little of the flour as you beat. Continue until
you have a stiff dough. Now work the butter into the dough, a
little at a time kneading thoroughly. Add more flour if the dough
gets to soft. Once all the butter is worked in add the brandy,
orange peel and yeast sponge. Knead on a floured board until all
are combined adding more flour as necessary. Place dough in a
warm spot and let rise until doubled.
Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees.
Once the dough has doubled punch it down and place it onto a
baking sheet. Shape into a crown or a ring. Let rise until doubled
in size. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown.
To serve 12th night cake divide it into as many pieces as there
are people (or plus one piece, the extra for the first beggar
or poor person who comes to the door). The youngest member of
the family distributes the pieces. Whoever gets the bean is King!
Food is life. May the plenty that graces your table truly be
a vast repast.
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