Dia de Muertos

While in Mexico, I experienced the Day of the Dead festivities during the first two days of November. I walked with many other to decorated graves and homes to celebrate and honor the passing of loved ones.

The day was very rainy and cold. Groups of hundreds walked along the cobbled stone streets in honor of the departed. Grand offerings of food, drink and decorations encouraged the spirits to pass peaceful.

It is customary for families to honor loved one who have passed within the year by hosting an open house reception. There is no formal invitation to attend. It appeared the families knew a small percentage of the guests in their homes (like me the, gringa.) As I waited outside in the rain to enter the door of the home, grandchildren of the family offered me and others waiting mugs of spicy hot chocolate. (The richest and yummiest hot chocolate I have ever had.) I noticed that everyone waiting had brought offerings for the spirit who passed. I had a few brightly colored prayer candles I was trying to keep dry. Others carried pans of bread, oranges and favorite beverages as offerings.

In the three homes I visited, each family created an altar that reflected the likeness of the person who passed-away. One of the more memorable altars was in the kitchen of an elderly woman. Her family placed candles and crosses made of flowers on the counters of her kitchen. They also create her likeness by creating a figure made out her clothes, apron and favorite cooking utensils.

As my Grandma was quite the baker and sweet tooth- I want to bake some goodies.

Below is a sweet bread recipe:


TIME/SERVING
Total Time: 3 hrs 40 mins
Active Time: 25 mins
Makes: 2 loaves

INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup granulated sugar, plus more for sprinkling
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon anise seed
1/2 ounce (2 packets) active dry yeast
1/2 cup whole milk
1/2 cup water
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
4 large eggs
4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 egg yolk beaten with 2 teaspoons water

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Combine sugar, salt, anise seed, and yeast in a small mixing bowl. Heat milk, water, and butter in a small saucepan over medium heat until butter is just melted; do not allow it to boil. Add milk mixture to dry mixture and beat well with a wire whisk.
2. Stir in eggs and 1 1/2 cups of the flour and beat well. Add remaining flour, little by little, stirring well with a wooden spoon until dough comes together.
3. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured wooden board and knead until it is smooth and elastic, and no longer sticky, about 9 to 10 minute . Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a clean kitchen towel, and allow it to rise in a warm area until it has doubled in size, about 1 1/2 hours.
4. Heat the oven to 350°F and arrange a rack in the middle. Punch down dough and divide into 2 pieces. Cut 3 small (about 1-ounce) balls from each half and mold them into skull-and-bones shapes. Shape large balls of dough into round loaf shapes, and place skull-and-bones on top. Place breads on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and let rise another hour.
5. Brush loaves with egg yolk mixture and bake. Halfway through baking, about 20 minutes, remove loaves from oven and brush again with egg wash and sprinkle lightly with granulated sugar. Return to oven and bake until loaves are golden brown and sound hollow when tapped, about another 20 minutes.