One of many reasons that I love being in Mexico at this time of year is the "pan de muerto" (bread of the dead) that is sold in every bakery and even in supermarkets through October and much of November. The round loaves of sweet bread have dough crossbones baked on the top and are sprinkled with sugar. Not only do the Mexicans consume the "pan of muerto", but they also place a loaf on the "ofrendas", the altars they set up in their homes in memory of departed loved ones.
Sadly I am stuck here in Ohio this year. Earlier in October I went to the Mexican supermarket in Cleveland, but their bakery was not yet making "pan de muerto". This week I returned, and they finally had it. I bought three of them.
As soon as I took this photo, I had to try one. I was not expecting it to be as scrumptious as the bread from one little neighborhood bakery in Mexico City where they fill the bread with "dulce de leche" (sweetened condensed milk cooked down to a thick caramel). But this was not even as good as what I buy at the Superama supermarket near the apartment that I rent down there. It was very dry. I will not feel compelled to drive back and buy some more before the season is over. Oh well, I will just have to wait until next year to enjoy the real thing.
I wonder how hard it is to make them? I'm an ok bread baker. Maybe I'll give it a shot one weekend....
ReplyDeleteThere are recipes out there, and they don't call for any hard to find ingredients. I'm not much of a baker though. Let me know if you try it and how it comes out.
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