When I go downtown to Mexico City's "Centro Histórico" I often stop at a branch of "La Parroquia de Veracruz", a chain of a well known cafés. As the name implies, the original is in the Gulf port city of Veracruz. The food there is nothing special, but, even though I am not a big coffee drinker, I like their "café lechero", coffee served with steamed milk. Besides, its location, just a couple blocks from the Zócalo, makes it a convenient spot for a restroom break. That was the case last week when I was downtown.
"Café lechero" is the coffee specialty for which they are most famous, but as I entered I saw a sign advertising "café de olla" along with "Rosca de Reyes".
"Café de olla" (literally "pot coffee") is brewed in an earthenware pot with cinnamon and "piloncillo", a kind of Mexican brown sugar. It is traditionally served in a clay mug. I generally take a ton of sugar (or sugar substitute) in my coffee, but I usually don't have to add sugar to "café de olla". "Rosca de Reyes" (Ring of the Kings) is a sweet bread that is served on January 6th, the Day of the Magi Kings. In the past I have described how a little figure representing the Baby Jesus is baked in the bread. Whoever gets the Baby Jesus in their slice is supposed to make tamales for everyone on February 2nd, the Feast Day of Candelaria.
I went inside and decided to order a slice of "Rosca" and a "café de olla".
The "Rosca" is decorated with candied fruit and "ate", a sweet made from fruit pulp and sugar. Frankly, the bread was very dry, but the coffee was good. The waitress was fun. When she served me the "Rosca", she said that if I had the figure in my slice, I would have to bring tamales. I said, "But that's not until February 2nd." She responded, "You'll have plenty of time to make the tamales."
Well, as it turned out, I had the Baby Jesus in my slice.
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