MEXICO CITY (AP) — The first bite is an assault on the senses. A sugary, citric, soft Turkish delight.

In Mexico, “Pan de muerto” or “bread of the dead” is baked every year from early October to mid-November. Day of the Dead celebrations.

It is possible to see pan de muerto, donut-shaped, bone-like pieces of bread decorated with sugar, in coffee houses, on dinner tables or on homemade altars. The building built by Mexicans to commemorate their dead your loved ones and welcome them back For one night on November 2.

The date of origin cannot be determined, but pan de muerto can be considered a combination of Mesoamerican and Spanish traditions, said Andrés Medina, a researcher at the Anthropological Research Institute of the National Autonomous University of Mexico.

For centuries, Mexicans have commemorated their dead with festivities and food

Since pre-Hispanic times, festivals have been held for the dead and skull-shaped products have been made. However, when the Spanish arrived in the 1500s, new elements such as sugar and bread were introduced into Native treats.

These early celebrations coincided with the crop season, which provided spiritual, symbolic meaning to pan de muerto, Medina said. If their decorations resemble bones, it is because Mesoamerican worldviews considered them the origin of life.

According to an ancient legend, Quetzalcóatl created humankind from bones. Details vary from one source to another, but the god apparently fell shortly after stealing them from the underworld. And from his blood the seed of life was born.

“In this worldview, the bones of the human body, like the inside of the fruit, are seeds,” Medina said. “So, in a way, altars are offerings to fertility. And the Day of the Dead is a celebration of the life contained in every seed.”

The shape, ingredients, and preparation of pan de muerto vary from one Mexican state to another, but it is enjoyed throughout the country.

100 and counting: One man’s quest to try every flavor of “pan de muerto”

Hundreds of bakeries in Mexico City make their own version. Rodrigo Delgado has spent years trying them all.

She challenges herself to try and review as many as possible for fun. his Instagram account. He had tried 15 in his first search a decade ago. By 2023, he had taken 100 bites. This year, he expects to taste at least 110 bites.

“I love pan de muerto because of its meaning during the Day of the Dead season,” said Delgado, who also reviews local restaurants on her blog. Godínez Gourmet. “The blend of flavors as well as the texture of the bread is very comforting.”

He doesn’t remember the first time he tried pan de muerto, but he cherishes the memories of his mother cooking it at home. He said he and his brother kneaded the dough and shaped the bone-like decorations on the top of the dough.

Baking tray de muerto is not an easy task. On: Panadería Dos VeinteOwner Manu Tovar, in Mexico City’s San Rafael neighborhood, said it takes three days of work to get these brioche ready for sale: one to extract the infusions that will give the bread its flavor, another to incorporate them into the dough, and another day. a day to knead and shape the buns.

Tovar said there is no secret in his recipe. The ingredients are simple, although seasonal: orange blossom, tangerine zest, anise and butter.

The special touch of its bread is its sourdough bread. “This is an ancestral process,” Tovar said. “It’s a thousand-year-old way of making bread.”

The sourdough he and his four assistants use is 20 years old. To keep it alive, she adds water and flour every day and mixes some of it with new dough. He said this gave the bread a better taste and made it easier to digest.

The seasonal flavors of Pan de Muertos make it special

Tovar said he resisted the temptation to cook it in a skillet in early October for years. The quality of the ingredients improves as November approaches, but customers keep asking when the donuts will be ready so he gave up.

This season, in addition to baking 90 pan de muertos a day, she has introduced two new creations: a croissant roll filled with marigold cream and a donut shaped like a marigold with a tangerine instead, known locally as a “concha.” vanilla or chocolate.

“If you cook it traditionally, you can now just eat pan de muerto because that’s when the fruit is available,” Tovar said. “I think that’s what makes it so special.”

The atmosphere of the Day of the Dead season also plays a role, he added. At this time of year, evening falls early and there is a certain mysticism, a special feeling in the air.

“It probably has to do with the melancholy of this festival,” he said. “One day a year, you may feel closer to those who are no longer with you.”

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