Galette, Mary & the Bull
At the train station last week, I noticed a sign (written only in English) advising consumers to beware of the dangers of consuming Galette des Rois—a dangerous almond pastry. I can only imagine the surprise of a tourist who unknowingly cracked a tooth on a porcelain charm while innocently enjoying their cake. But to the French, the soft clink of teeth meeting pottery while eating galette would come as no surprise. In fact, for them it would be a reason to celebrate. The tradition of hiding trinkets in cake dates back to Roman times, but more recently the French have used it to celebrate Epiphany. The first Sunday of each new year, Epiphany marks the arrival of the Wise Men to greet baby Jesus and his family. It celebrates the story of men who acted against a powerful and threatening ruler to follow a bright star to Bethlehem. All of this was done in a grand act of faith spurred by a mere dream that revealed the birth of the Messiah. I ca...