"I once ate more than eighty king cakes in a single Carnival," author Matt Haines proudly remembers, demonstrating his dedication to this delicious Mardi Gras tradition. "So you can imagine how amazed I was to learn there has never been a coffee table book dedicated to king cakes!"

The Big Book of King Cake changes that, telling the thousands-year-old story through lush photography of more than one hundred and fifty unique king cakes, as well as stories from the diverse and talented bakers who make them.

While king cakes are typically only available during Carnival season, readers can enjoy this book year-round. From the traditional cakes generations of New Orleanians have loved, to the unconventional creations that break all the rules, this book is your guide to the Crescent City's favorite baked good.

The Big Book of King Cake is for anyone who loves food, history, sweets, culture, and of course, New Orleans.

Author: Matt Haines

Publisher: Susan Schadt Press

Language: English

Hardcover: 368 pages

About the Author

Matt Haines tried to eat as many different versions of king cake that he could during the 2017 Mardi Gras season, and ended up sampling over 80 different varieties. That was just before he hiked the entire Appalachian Trail. When he returned to New Orleans from this amazing feat he began his writing career. Since then Matt has written for Voice of America, Lonely Planet, CNN Underscored, Zagat, Fodor's Travel, Rosetta Stone, Great Big Story, AlltimePower, The Times-Picayune, The New Orleans Advocate, Gambit Weekly, Very Local New Orleans, and GoNOLA.com, as well as technology companies like Align and nonprofit organizations such as 504ward. Matt loves writing about food, travel, and just about anything that helps him better understand people and their unique motivations. He lives in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Randy Krause Schmidt is a New Orleans based portrait and food photographer. He’s had a sweet tooth for as long as he can remember, so he was elated to collaborate with Matt Haines on this celebration of such an integral part of the region’s food culture and the talented bakers who make it possible. His work has been featured in Vogue, Southern Living, Louisiana Cookin’, New Orleans Magazine, Where Magazine, Eater, and others.