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Friday, June 26, 2009

Kings: Cake and Mardi Gras


6/25/09  Kings:  King Cake & Mardi Gras!....
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KING CAKE....
Coming to a new festival means coming into contact with new traditions.  KMW celebrates the final evening by having a Cake Walk—with cakes decorated by the staff.  And the goal of the decoration is to get one’s cake chosen first by the person who has the first option of choosing a cake when the music (played by the staff band) stops.  Its for a good cause:  people donate a dollar for a chance to walk, and all the money goes to a local charity.....
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All week stories have been passing around about people’s elaborate cakes in the past with designs based on the titles of fiddle tunes or other more double-entendre-ed one.  (I’m told that one year “KMW or Bust” was a design that involved some pink coconut hostess treats…)....
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This presents some issues for me:  1)  I’m not a fan of cake. 2) I’ve never “decorated” a cake.....
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After much pondering, I decide to pander and decorate my cake this way:  I figure a small pie always improves cake, so a small cherry pie sits in front.  Then, I head over to Heaven Hill Distillery’s visitor center and gift shop and got a medium-sized box of bourbon balls and cover the top of the cake with them. The final touch is using three CD’s to lift up the cake slightly as a decorative (and hopefully attractive) foundation!  Here’s a photo (thanks Marcy!)

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Unfortunately, my effort did not prompt the first several cake-choosers to opt for mine.  The first one to go was by Robert Force who went all out:....
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after cutting a hole in both the cake and the cake plate, he lowered the whole cake over a wooden dowel on a display stand, then proceeded to thread a dozen glazed doughnuts over the same pole, attach a cross-member and display an aloha (Hawai’ian) shirt and lei at the top.  It was beautiful and I am humbled by his effort! (sorry, no photo yet)....
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KING OF MARDI GRAS....
I was honored (as a newbie to the festival) to be crowned King of Mardi Gras with National Champion, Sue Carpenter, crowned as Queen.  Our duties were potentatious:  lots of parading, her with a perfected “queen wave.”  Me (after quick coaching from Robert Force) looking appropriately aloof and slightly bemused. I ruled with a didjeridoo, which actually became the signal for the band to stop playing during the cake walk.  I was able to obtain a full-length cape for the event, but has provided with a bishop-like mitre rather than a crown.  That’s OK, I like moving diagonally on a chess board anyway!  (photo by Marcy).....

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