Twelfth Night - Epiphany.

Quite a sad day today as we take down the Christmas decorations, un - decorate the Christmas trees and pack everything away again for another eleven months.

I know many of you did this chore last week but I always like to wait until Twelfth Night - Epiphany, the Christian feast which marks the visit of the Three Kings to the baby Jesus.

google image

I think it harks back to our time spent living in Bavaria when on this day a group of children from the village, known as the Sternsinger, would visit our homes

 dressed as the Three Wise Men collecting donations for children's charities.

They would sing us a song or recite a poem before inscribing

the year, C + M + B in white chalk above the front door. 

 " 20 C + M + B 15".

For a long time I thought the letters represented the names of the Three Magi

 Caspar, Melchior and Balthazar 

but they really stand for the Latin phrase

Christus Mansionem benedicat 

 "God protect this house"

As a treat on this special day I thought I'd take the opportunity to sample some delicious
Downton Abbey tea with a slice of "galette des rois", the traditional French cake eaten on this day.
The tea was a recent gift from my lovely friend Sarah who like me is a big fan of Downton Abbey.


Will I chose "butler's pantry blend" -premium black tea with essence of honey.
a favourite of Mr Carson and Mrs Hughes or
mrs's patmore's pudding tea - with caramel and vanilla which Mrs P & Daisy prefer?

A delicious confection of puff pastry and frangipane the cake of kings
 contains a small porcelaine figurine and whoever finds it in their slice becomes king for the day.

The Senior Partner and I don't care for frangipane so we ordered a galette des rois with an apple filling, well we are in Normandy after all!


Are you a tea drinker or would you prefer a cup of java with your slice of galette?
I'd love to know.