Putting the Shuck on a Yankee

I know that the teachers of St. Bernard Parish are honest and trustworthy, but...... There is an old tradition in the area, tied to the "King Cake." A King Cake is a large coffee cake in northern parlance, and is very popular around Mardi Gras. It is baked in a large oval shape, about sixteen inches long and ten inches wide. The difference between this and a coffee cake is that a king cake has a small plastic baby baked into every one.

As slices are passed out, someone ends up getting the slice with the plastic baby. The tradition demands that the person who gets the baby must supply the king cake for the next event. Well the eleven teachers of fourth grade saw to it that a huge King Cake was present when I ate lunch with them the second time.


And what to my wondering eyes should appear but a cute, little baby peeking out from the side of my slice. He was pulled out for the picture. Speculation abounds as to how.... out of eleven participants...... the Columbus Yankee ended up with the responsibility to buy the next cake.