2A Sunday, February 4, 2024
The Times, Gainesville, Georgia I gainesvilletimes.com
New Orleans bakeries receive
heaps of orders for king cakes
Gerald Herbert Associated Press
Lawren DiBella sprinkles colored sugar onto king
cakes at Haydel’s Bakery in Jefferson Parish, La.,
Wednesday, Jan. 31.
BY KEVIN MCGILL
AND STEPHEN SMITH
Associated Press
NEW ORLEANS —
It's Carnival season in New
Orleans and that means
lines are long outside local
bakeries and the pace inside
is brisk as workers strive to
meet customer demand for
king cakes — those brightly
colored seasonal pastries that
have exploded in popularity
over the years.
“Mardi Gras is our busi
est time of year,” says David
Haydel Jr. of Haydel's Bak
ery, who estimates the sale
of king cakes in the few short
weeks between Christmas
and Lent accounts for about
half the bakery's income.
Behind him are racks hold
ing dozens of freshly baked
cakes ready for wrapping.
Nearby, workers are whip
ping up batter in large mixers,
rolling out lengths of dough,
braiding and shaping them
into rings and popping them
into ovens.
It's a similar scene at Adri
an's Bakery in the city's Gen-
tilly neighborhood, where
Adrian Darby Sr. estimates
king cakes make up 40% of
his business. ‘‘Without Mardi
Gras, you know, you have
to make cutbacks, and you
don't want to do that. You've
got full-time employees and
you want to maintain that.”
Food historian Liz Wil
liams says the roots of king
cake culture date to Satur
nalia celebrations of ancient
Rome, when a cake was
baked with a bean inside and
whoever got the slice with the
bean was deemed king for a
day.
Over the centuries the tra
ditions developed and were
adapted into European pre-
Lenten festivals that evolved
into the modem Mardi Gras
traditions.
The evolution hasn't
stopped, according to Wil
liams. King cakes in New
Orleans were once uniform
and simple — a ring of
braided lightly sweet brioche
topped with purple, green
and gold sugar. Instead of
a bean, tiny baby dolls —
made of china at first, now
plastic — were baked inside.
‘‘There was not really one
variation from one bakery
to another,” Williams said.
But by the 1970s, changes
were happening. Some bak
ers began using Danish-
style pastry dough. Some
began filling their king cakes
with cream cheese or fruit
preserves.
The treat's popularity grew
from one Mardi Gras season
to the next amid the usual
frenzy of parades and color
ful floats, costumed revelry
and partying in the streets.
Years ago, Williams said king
cake was probably consumed
a few times a year, perhaps
during a king cake party dur
ing Carnival season.
Now, said Williams, Mardi
Gras season means almost
daily king cake consumption
for some. ‘‘People will pick
up a king cake and take it to
work, and whoever gets the
baby has to bring one the next
day, so people are eating it all
the time.”
Still, it's not a year-round
binge treat. Tradition holds
that king cake is not to be
eaten before Carnival sea
son begins on Jan. 6 nor after
Mardi Gras — Fat Tuesday
— which falls this year on
Feb. 13.
THANKYOU
FOR READING
FULL ACCESS WITH YOUR SUBSCRIPTION
Our local news team, the largest in
Northeast Georgia, works each day to
bring you honestly local news delivered in
several different platforms. Subscribers
can tailor their preferences for reading the
day’s news, whether that’s the traditional
print edition or a combination of online
formats.
Print
Traditional print editions are currently
published Wednesday and Friday for
delivery by mail.
EPaper
This platform offers the traditional look
of a newspaper page but available on
your tablet or other device. Editions are
published Tuesday through Saturday, with
two of those being replicas of the print
edition. Access at gainesvilletimes.com/
epaper.
Website
Always stay up to date with us at
gainesvilletimes.com.
Newsletters
Sign upatgainesvilletimes.com/
newsletters to receive email newsletters.
Daybreak: A daily morning roundup of the
same local news you get in the paper
Refresh: An afternoon update of news
happening each weekday
Flight: A weekly guide to fun, food and
family in Northeast Georgia
Branch Out: A weekly update curating
news out of South Hall County
Extra Points: Latest local sports news,
delivered twice weekly
App
A sleek experience on your cellphone
that also offers notifications so you learn
the biggest news quickly. Learn more at
gainesvilletimes.com/app.
Social media
[j/gainesvilletimes
@gtimes
[@J @gtimesnews
ABOUT US AND OUR VALUES
The public has a right to know, and The
Times is dedicated to that principle and the
“continued enlightenment and freedom of
the people of North Georgia,” as engraved
outside our building.
The pursuit oftruth is a fundamental
principle of journalism. But the truth is not
always apparent or known immediately.
A professional journalist’s role is to report
as completely and impartially as possible
verifiable facts so readers can, based
on their own knowledge and experience,
determine what they believe to be the
truth. That is often an ongoing pursuit as
journalists work to uncover stories and
follow those stories wherever they lead,
regardless of preconceived ideas.
The news they report is separate from the
opinions shared in the pages of The Times,
which include those by its editorial board,
columnists, political cartoonists and readers
who submit letters to the editor.
The presentation of both news and
opinions is designed to educate, entertain
and foster community conversation.
Readers are encouraged to challenge and
sharpen their perceptions based on that
presentation.
And we encourage readers to do the same
for us, offering news tips, criticisms and
questions.
As your honestly local news source, we
serve our readers first.
Find us on these platforms or reach out
to our newsroom at news@gainesvilletimes.
com or 770-718-3435.
EVENTS
Georgia Art League Winter Exhibit. 10 a.m. to
5 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays through
Feb. 26. Quinlan Visual Arts Center, 514 Green
St. NE, Gainesville.470-272-3010, mela-
nievaughanl33@gmail.com. Free.
Brenau Dance Department...De/Cipher: A
Facultyand Guest Artist Concert. 7 to9 p.m.
Feb. 3. Brenau University Pearce Auditorium,
202 Boulevard NE, Gainesville. 770-534-6249,
mcooper3@brenau.edu. $5-$10.
Clay Heart Pop-Up Workshop. 1 to 3 p.m. Feb.
3. Quinlan Visual Arts Center, 514 Green St.
NE, Gainesville. 770-536-2575, qartscenter@
gmail.com. $30.
The Ladies & Gents Valentine’s Night of En
tertainment. 6:30to 11:30 p.m. Feb.3. Paul
E. Bolding American Legion Post 7 Gainesville,
GA, 2327 Riverside Drive, Gainesville. 706-877-
0325, thecoggents@gmail.com. $80-$155.
North Georgia Chamber Symphony Quartet
Concert. 2 to 3 p.m. Feb. 3. Quinlan Visual Arts
Center, 514 Green St. NE, Gainesville. 706-867-
9444, Bettyflorence@windstream.net. $10.
Walk with a Doc. 10 to 11 a. m. Feb. 3. Midland
Greenway- Meet at outdoor fitness court (or
ange mural). For inclement weather location see
webpage, 422 Banks St, Gainesville, fmwwad@
gmail.com. Free.
A Little Night(hawk) Music Concert Series.
7:30 p.m. Feb. 5. Performing Arts Lobby, 3040
Landrum Education Drive, Oakwood. 706-864-
1423, music@ung.edu. Free.
Caffeine and Octane Lanier Raceway. 8 a.m.
to 5 p.m. Feb. 9. Caffeine and Octane’s Lanier
Raceway, 5301 Winder Highway, Braselton.
AuthorTalk: Bobby Nash. 1 to 3 p.m. Feb. 7.
Hall County Library System, Gainesville Branch,
127 Main St. NW, Gainesville. 770-532-3311
ext. 4011, jcline@hallcountylibrary.org. Free.
Homeschool Workshop: The Art of Papermak
ing. 10 a.m. to noon Feb. 7. Atlanta Botanical
Garden Gainesville, 1911 Sweetbay Drive,
Gainesville. $10.
ONGOING
Alzheimer’s Caregivers Support Group. 5:30-
6:30 p.m. first Tuesdays of the month. Grace
Episcopal Church, 422 Brenau Ave. NE, Gaines
ville. 727-409-6608, charlenebestdewitt@
gmail.com. Free.
Card workshop. 10a.m.to 1 p.m.first Satur
days of the month. Hall County Library System,
Gainesville branch, 127 Main St. NW, Gaines
ville. 77 0-532-3311 ext. 4011, gkoecher@
hal Icou ntyl i bra ry.org.
Discovery Saturdays. 10a.m.to3 p.m.second
Saturdays of the month. Elachee Nature Sci
ence Center, 2125 Elachee Drive, Gainesville.
770-535-1976. $3-$5.
Ekphrasisforthe Masses. Noon to 1 p.m. sec
ond Tuesdays of the month. Quinlan Visual Arts
Center, 514 Green St. NE, Gainesville. 770-536-
2575, info@qvac.org. Free.
Gainesville Lacers. 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. third
Saturdays of the month. Hall County Library
System, Gainesville branch, 127 Main St. NW,
Publish your event
Don’t see your event here? Organizers
can go to gainesvilletimes.com/
calendar and submit their events for
publication online and in print. Click
the “+Add event” button at the top
right and follow the prompts to add
information and a photo. Events publish
at the editors’ discretion.
See more
Go to gainesvilletimes.com/calendar
for the full interactive calendar of
events throughout the region.
Gainesville. 770-532-3311, gkoecher@hall-
countylibrary.org.
Gentle Yoga. 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.second,
third and fourth Wednesdays. Blackshear Place
Branch Library, 2927 Atlanta Highway, Gaines
ville. 770-337-1572, dl9345@bellsouth.net.
Free.
Georgia Cross Stitchers. 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
second Saturdays of the month. Hall County
Library System, Gainesville Branch, 127 Main
St. NW, Gainesville. 770-532-3311 ext. 4011;
gkoecher@hallcountylibrary.org. Free.
Gold Rush Quilting Guild. 10 a.m. to noon first
Wednesdays of the month. Friendship Baptist
Church, 3513 Westmoreland Road, Cleveland.
alenekempton@gmail.com.
Hip Hop Class Wednesdays. 4-5 p.m. (3rd to
5th Graders) through May 15. Gainesville Bal
let Company, 971 Riverside Drive, Gainesville.
770-866-5353, info@gbcdance.com. $88.
Homeschool Day. 10a.m.to 12 p.m.third
Thursdays of the month. Elachee Nature Sci
ence Center, 2125 Elachee Drive, Gainesville.
770-535-1976. $15.
Ice Skating at Sugar Hill. Through Feb. 17. The
Ice Rink at Sugar Hill, 5039 W. Broad St., Sugar
Hill.
Music Bingo. 7 to 9 p.m. every Thursday. NoFo
Brew Co. Gainesville, 434 High St. SW, Gaines
ville, topher@nofobrew.co. Free.
Northeast Georgia Writers. 1-3 p.m. first
Wednesdays of the month. Gainesville Down
town Library, 127 Main St. NW, Gainesville.
talltaleswriter@gmail.com. Free.
Tea with Jane Austen: A Reading Group. 3-4
p.m. fourth Fridays of the month through No
vember. Hall County Library System, Gainesville
Branch, 127 Main St. NW, Gainesville. 770-532-
3311 ext.4011,gkoecher@hallcountylibrary.
org. Free.
Trivia Night. 7-9 p.m. Tuesdays. NoFo Brew Co
Gainesville, 434 High St. SW, Gainesville, to-
pher@nofobrew.co. Free.
Turning Leaves BookClub. ll:30a.m.tol p.m.
first Wednesdays of the month. Linwood Nature
Preserve Ecology Center, 415 Linwood Drive,
Gainesville, karin.hicks@uga.edu.
War Stories Book Club. 4-5 p.m. second Fridays
of the month. Murrayville Branch Library, 4796
Thompson Bridge Road, Gainesville. 770-532-
3311 ext. 171. Free.
TODAY IN HISTORY
Mark J. Terrill Associated Press
In this Feb. 4, 1997, file photo, A large crowd gathers outside Los Angeles
County Superior Court in Santa Monica, Calif., to hear the verdict in the wrong
ful-death civil trial against O.J. Simpson. Simpson was found liable in the deaths
of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman.
On this date:
In 1783, Britain’s King George III proclaimed a
formal cessation of hostilities in the American
Revolutionary War.
In 1789, electors chose George Washington to
be the first president of the United States.
In 1801, John Marshall was confirmed by the
Senate as chief justice of the United States.
In 1913, Rosa Parks, a Black woman whose
1955 refusal to give up her seat on a Montgom
ery, Alabama, city bus to a white man sparked a
civil rights revolution, was born Rosa Louise Mc
Cauley in Tuskegee.
In 1974, newspaper heiress Patricia Hearst, 19,
was kidnapped in Berkeley, California, bythe
radical Symbionese Liberation Army.
In 1977, eleven people were killed when two
Chicago Transit Authority trains collided on an
elevated track.
In 1997, a civil jury in Santa Monica, California,
found O.J. Simpson liable for the deaths of his
ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and herfriend,
Ronald Goldman, after he had been acquitted at
his criminal trial.
In 1999, senators at President Bill Clinton's
impeachment trial voted to permit the showing
of portions of Monica Lewinsky’s videotaped
deposition.
In 2004, Facebook had its beginnings as Har
vard student MarkZuckerberg launched “The-
facebook.”
In 2013, British scientists announced they had
rescued the skeletal remains of King Richard III,
who lived during the 15th century, from the ano
nymity of a drab municipal parking lot.
In 2017, running backs LaDainian Tomlinson
and Terrell Davis and quarterback Kurt Warner
were elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
She (Titties
gainesvilletimes.com
A Metro Market Media Publication
© 2024, Vol. 77, No. 24
Sunday, Februaiy 4,2024
HOW TO REACH US
345 Green St. N.W., Gainesville, GA 30501
P.0. Box 838, Gainesville, GA 30503
(770) 532-1234
Hours: 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m., Mon.-Fri.
Drive thru open: 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m., Mon.-Fri.
Publisher Stephanie Woody
swoody@forsythnews.com
Group Editor Nate McCullough
nmccullough@gainesvilletimes.com
TALK TO AN EDITOR, REPORT AN ERROR
If you spot an error, we want to correct
it immediately. We also want your
news tips and feature ideas.
Call: (770) 718-3435 or (770) 532-1234, Ext. 3435
Advertising Sales Mgr Jessica Shirley Hours: 8:30 a m. to midnight, Mon.-Fri.;
2:00 p.m. to midnight Sat & Sun.
jessicashirley@gainesvilletimes.com
Editor John Chambliss
jchambliss@gainesvilletimes.com
Director of Audience Shannon Casas
scasas@gainesvilletimes.com
Controller Susan Andrews
sandrews@gainesvilletimes.com
e-mail: news@gainesvilletimes.com
TO PLACE AN AD
Classified: (770) 535-1199
Hours: 8:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m., Mon.-Fri.
E-mail: classifieds@gainesvilletimes.com
Display; (770) 532-1234, ext. 6380
Hours: 8:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Mon.-Fri.
E-mail: displayads@gainesvilletimes.com
SUBSCRIPTIONS AND CUSTOMER SERVICE
HOME DELIVERY
Subscribe by phone or online:
(770) 532-2222 or (770) 532-1234. Ext. 2222
Hours: 8:00 a.m. and 5 p.m. Mon.-Fri.
SUBSCRIPTION RATES INCLUDING TAX:
Midweek and Weekend Print Mail Delivery
(deftered throu^i USPS on Wed and Sat in Hal Canty)
All print subscriptions include unlimited access
to our website, our apps and the ePaper - the
digital replica of the print edition.
3 months - $54.84
1 year-$219.35
6 months -$109.66
EZ Pay-$17.02/month
All charges plus applicable sales tax are pay
able in advance. The publisher reserves the
right to change rates during the term of the
subscription. Notice of a rate change may be
made by mail to the subscriber, in the news
paper or other means. Rate changes may be
implemented by changing the duration of the
subscriptions.
Second class postage paid at Gainesville. GA.
Postmaster: Send address changes to: P.0. Box
838, Gainesville, GA 30503. Periodical postage
paid: USPS 212-860
Delivery problems call
(770) 532-2222
SINGLE COPY
The Times is available at retail stores,
newspaper racks and at The Times for
$2.00 Midweek Edition and
$2.00 Weekend Edition
For our digital subscription offerings,
go to gainesvilletimes.com/subscribe
ENTERTAINMENT
Martin Lawrence shows
off in new Super Bowl ad
LOS ANGELES — Martin Lawrence
has kept busy: The actor-comedian read
ies for his new “Bad Boys” film with Will
Smith this summer, recently joined his “
Martin ” cast members during the Emmys
and stars alongside Hall of Fame football
player Shannon Sharpe in a new Super
Bowl commercial.
In the commercial, Lawrence and Sharpe
pair up for a friendly game of golf — until
their cart rolls into a pond. That’s when
Lawrence shows off his strength to the mus
cle-bound, retired NFL player who watches
in awe as the comedian walks into the pond,
picks up the cart and carries it out.
Lawrence, 58, enjoyed seeing his digi
tally-enhanced brawn in the ad.
“It was cool to hook up with Shannon and
sort of switch roles in the muscle area,” said
Celebrity birthdays
Actor Jerry Adler is 95. Actor Gary Conway is 88.
Actor John Schuck is 84. Rock musician John
Steel (The Animals) is 83. Singer Florence LaRue
(The Fifth Dimension) is 82. Rock singer Alice
Cooper is 76. Actor Michael Beck is 75. Actor
Lisa Eichhorn is 72. Actor Pamelyn Ferdin is 65.
Rock singer Tim Booth is 64. Country singer Clint
Black is 62. Rock musician Noodles (The Off
spring) is 61. Actor Gabrielle Anwar is 54. Singer
David Garza is 53. Actor Michael Goorjian is 53.
Rock musician Rick Burch (Jimmy Eat World) is
49. Singer Natalie Imbruglia is 49. Rock singer
Gavin DeGraw is 47. Rock singer Zoe Manville
is 40. Actor Charlie Barnett is 36. Actor Kyla
Kenedy (TV: “Speechless") is 21.
Lawrence about the 30-second Oikos yogurt
commercial. He'll be waiting to see his first
Super Bowl commercial appearance from
his home when the Kansas City Chiefs face
the San Francisco 49ers in the championship
game on Feb. 11.
“I felt it was kind of funny,” he said. “It
was a funny commercial they wrote.”
Associated Press
