We have spotted a few King's Cake in French bakeries in Singapore, what wines can be paired with? A bit of history first In the beginning of January, French bakeries are filled with a special cake: la galette. Much more than just a cake, this pastry is a beloved tradition that traces its roots back to the Roman Empire. The tradition of Tirer les rois that is to say to "Find the King" at the beginning of the New Year has survived the fall of the Roman Empire, the Middle Age and the French Revolution. Why so? Is it the great taste of the pastry, the change of roles for one day, the significance of this event, the satisfaction of finding the lucky charm, la fève? Everyone has their own interpretation, from the frangipane lovers to the youngest child at the table that has the right to decide for who is the next slice to the lucky charm collectors, everyone has his reason to love this tradition. The Galette des Rois is a way for French people to celebrate the Epiphany, the arrival of the Three Wise men (Magi). Every year, on January 6th, people gather pour tirer les rois, to find the kings. The traditional galette is cut in a very specific number of slices: one slice for each person sitting at the table plus one. The extra slice is symbolic for the first poor person passing by. The youngest person in the room goes under the table, and announces who gets the next slice. The youngest person is said to be the most innocent one and therefore fair in the distribution of the slices. Such an importance is given to the distribution because of the lucky charm, la fève, hidden in the galette. Initially, the lucky charm was a bean but it has since evolved and was replaced at the end of the XIXth century by porcelain trinkets, and today porcelain or plastic trinkets. Wine pairings Choose it lightly topped with a thin layer of frangipane not too sweet if possible. The choice of wines is vast such as sparklings (Champagne, Crémant), light sweet wines from Loire Valley (Montlouis, Vouvray), Alsace (Gewurztraminer), or Sauternes. Bon appetit! Wine novice or interested in discovering wines you do not have access to?  Every month receive two bottles of exclusive French wines at home with our sommelier’s tasting guide. Find out more   More wine pairings are available here (examples of pairings with French wines: Pad Thai, Seafood Laksa, Beef Steak, Sushi, Singaporean Chicken Rice, Peking Duck, Roast Lamb…)  

Wine novice or interested in discovering wines you do not have access to?  Every month receive two bottles of exclusive French wines at home with our sommelier’s tasting guide. Find out more