The Day of the Dead, or
Dia de Las Muertos is one of Mexico's most important holidays, and one that comes with several sweet food traditions. It's celebrated November 1st and 2nd. Although this holiday right up against Halloween, the two holidays are not really related -- there's nothing scary or depressing about the holiday, it's a joyous time to celebrate the lives of people who are no longer with us. And since Mexican folk imagery deals with this directly -- you'll see plenty of skulls and skeletons -- this also is translated into the holiday's food traditions, which include candy in the shape of skulls and sweet bread made to look like bones.
Read more about the Day of the Dead:
Sugar Skulls
A ubiquitous Day of the Dead treat, sugar skulls are also incredibly beautiful. You'll find them in stores and markets all over Mexico.
Here's a step-by-step sugar skull recipe that shows you how it's done. The larger ones are generally not for eating, smaller ones, which include icing, can be consumed. Often, a skull will be dedicated to a certain person who's died, and eaten in remembrance of that person's life. (If a person who's died was disliked, the skull can be smashed vindictively.)
Pan de Muerto
This bread is found in Mexican bakeries starting in late October. It's slightly sweet, more of a pastry than a bread you'd have for sandwiches. Here's a
recipe for Day of the Dead bread.
Other Day of the Dead Foods
Other foods that make appearances on altars include candied pumpkin and atole, a masa gruel.
Learn more about these foods here.
Traveling to Celebrate Day of the Dead
Mexico is
the place to go, but the Day of the Dead is also celebrated throughout the United States by Mexican Americans.
