Plastic Baby Cakes and Strawberry Beer

Charlie and I have been working so much lately that we haven't been able to take any fun family road trips to random places this week, however, I did manage to enjoy some extremely southern specialties on my own. Its Mardi Gras Season in the south and gold, purple and green are everywhere you look, including the tops of pastries. 

This, my friends, is a

King Cake.

This is probably the most glorious kind of cake I have ever tasted in my life you know why? 'Cuz it tastes like a doughnut! Oh yeah, its like a cinnamon twisty doughnut with Mardi Gras colored icing all over it and if you look closely you can see in the middle of the cake there is a plastic baby. Yes I said a plastic baby. Apparently, its tradition to insert said baby in the middle of the cake and whoever gets it in their piece has to buy the next King Cake. When I was told this I said, "So, someone hides a plastic baby in the cake and you have to eat it? That's interesting."  But you don't really have to eat the baby, I guess that's not part of tradition.

I'm also pretty excited because we were able to document my very 

first King Cake experience with this incredibly flattering picture,

thanks Katie for letting me put this picture on the Internet and for letting me cram the plastic baby in your mouth. My co-workers are the best. 

I also made another glorious southern discovery this week...

Strawberry Abita Beer.

This is officially the new love of my life, its not too sweet so I could drink quite a few of them, which I did. I kept seeing signs saying that Strawberry Abita was now in stock again outside of the bars and liquor stores on the main street. I totally bought into the hype and am really happy that I did because I will be pounding these whenever I get the chance. This week I learned to love the South a little more and be less ready to go home. I'm really thankful for the friends that I have made and all the weird things they do down here.

I love plastic baby cakes and strawberry beer.

Cheers.