A fève is a small trinket hidden in a

king cake A king cake, also known as a three kings cake, is a cake associated in many countries with Epiphany. Its form and ingredients are variable, but in most cases a () such as a figurine, often said to represent the Christ Child, is hidden insid ...

or similar dessert. They may also be known as ''trinkets'' or ''favors''. The French word translates to '

fava bean ''Vicia faba'', commonly known as the broad bean, fava bean, or faba bean, is a species of vetch, a flowering plant in the pea and bean family Fabaceae. It is widely cultivated as a crop for human consumption, and also as a cover crop. Var ...

', which is what was originally hidden in the cake. Modern fèves can be made out of other materials, such as

porcelain Porcelain () is a ceramic material made by heating substances, generally including materials such as kaolinite, in a kiln to temperatures between . The strength and translucence of porcelain, relative to other types of pottery, arises main ...

or plastic, and can take varied shapes and forms. The themes of fève are very diverse and may include religious symbols, tools related to baking or even depictions of famous figures. Cakes with fèves are found throughout Europe and the US and are particularly associated with

Three Kings Day Epiphany ( ), also known as Theophany in Eastern Christian traditions, is a Christian feast day that celebrates the revelation ( theophany) of God incarnate as Jesus Christ. In Western Christianity, the feast commemorates principally (but not ...

or Mardi Gras. The person who finds the fève usually is awarded special privileges or gifts for the day. Fèves have also become collectors items, and in France, their collectors are known as ''fabophiles'' or ''favophiles''.

In the United States

In an American

– popularly eaten around Mardi Gras in

New Orleans New Orleans ( , ,New Orleans

and the

Gulf Coast The Gulf Coast of the United States, also known as the Gulf South, is the coast, coastline along the Southern United States where they meet the Gulf of Mexico. The list of U.S. states and territories by coastline, coastal states that have a shor ...

– the fève traditionally takes the form of a small plastic or porcelain baby, symbolizing

baby Jesus The Christ Child, also known as Divine Infant, Baby Jesus, Infant Jesus, the Divine Child, Child Jesus, the Holy Child, Santo Niño, and to some as Señor Noemi refers to Jesus Christ from his nativity to age 12. The four canonical gospels, a ...

. Fava beans were also used to represent Jesus. The one who finds the baby in their slice of cake is said to receive luck and prosperity, and is responsible for baking or purchasing the next year's cake, or for throwing the next Mardi Gras party. In some traditions, the finder of the baby is designated "king" or "queen" for the evening. As plastic babies replaced beans and porcelain figures, commercial bakers have begun placing the baby outside of the cake, and leaving the hiding to the customer. This is also because there is a potential of customers choking on or swallowing the baby, for which bakers want to avoid liability.

Gallery

File:FeveGaletteRois.JPG, Vintage French fève File:King Cake Baby.jpg, Modern king cake fève in the shape of a baby File:KingCakeFavorDisplay.jpg, Vintage 19th century fèves from New Orleans File:King and Bean.jpg, King and bean from a Spanish

rosca de reyes A king cake, also known as a three kings cake, is a cake associated in many countries with Epiphany. Its form and ingredients are variable, but in most cases a () such as a figurine, often said to represent the Christ Child, is hidden inside. ...

File:Il pleut BergereBanette le Fou, Porcelain Feves et Galette des Rois.JPG, French fève

Cakes that contain fèves

King cake A king cake, also known as a three kings cake, is a cake associated in many countries with Epiphany. Its form and ingredients are variable, but in most cases a () such as a figurine, often said to represent the Christ Child, is hidden insid ...

Rosca de reyes A king cake, also known as a three kings cake, is a cake associated in many countries with Epiphany. Its form and ingredients are variable, but in most cases a () such as a figurine, often said to represent the Christ Child, is hidden inside. ...

* Bolo-rei *

Tortell A king cake, also known as a three kings cake, is a cake associated in many countries with Epiphany. Its form and ingredients are variable, but in most cases a () such as a figurine, often said to represent the Christ Child, is hidden inside. ...

* Vasilopita

References

Christmas food Culture of New Orleans Carnival foods Louisiana cuisine Cuisine of New Orleans French desserts French culture {{US-dessert-stub