It's that time of year in New Orleans--Mardi Gras season, which officially kicked off this past weekend on Twelfth Night. The real parade season won't start for another month, but in between there is King Cake Season.

A King Cake is a big round circle of cinnamon-spiked soft Danish-style pastry, into which has been baked a plastic or ceramic baby. On top are some variation of the Mardi Gras colors of purple, green and gold--sometimes in colored sugar, other times in icing with colored sprinkles. There are lots of variations--bavarian cream filled, fruit filled, etc., but they're all made along those lines.

The tradition goes that if you get the plastic/ceramic baby inside your piece of cake, it's your responsibility to purchase the next cake.

My office loves cake.

In the final frenzy leading to the weekend before Mardi Gras Day itself, when my office shuts down for four days of parade-going, we have had a new King Cake show up every single day for two weeks. We've had contests among the different venues around town selling King Cakes.

Last year, I succumbed once or twice to King Cake. This year, despite making the pre-emptive strike and buying the first one for the office today, I hope to make it through the next six weeks without eating any at all.

I hear them out there now, crowded around the table, munching away. Glad I got the photo before my co-workers arrived!