What to cook for Día de Muertos? Mixiotes is a dish wrapped like a gift

After the death of my grandfather Heriberto González Sánchez in 2011, I began cooking for Día de Muertos. I baked my first sourdough pan de muerto bread with pulque, the pre-Hispanic drink made from the fermented sap called aguamiel, extracted from the maguey (agave). Attachment The sour elixir came in a creamer I purchased from a street vendor in the Piñata District in downtown LA. I set up a small altar on the kitchen table of our studio in Angeleno Heights.

On the occasion of the holiday when souls return to their families to feast and celebrate (which traditionally falls on the first two days of November), I take the opportunity to sit with the memories of my loved ones. It is an opportunity to cook and collect your favorite foods: mole poblano, corundas (triangular tamales wrapped in fresh Michoacán corn husks), “sopa maruchan” (instant top ramen), chocolate, camote enmielado con leche (candied sweet potatoes with cold Milk). ). It is believed that the souls take part in the festival before returning to the underworld, taking with them provisions for the whole year so that they can return the next year.

I make my tropical mole with guavas, inspired by my abuelo's garden in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. I close my eyes as I take the first spoonful of the aromatic, sun-golden sauce. I can see his smile. I can almost hear his voice.

This is just one of the dishes that I prepare in advance of the holy holiday marked by Graduation the harvest for cornMexico's predominant food crop and the main symbol of cultural significance to Mexican identity.

Food is a starting point for celebrating your own Día de Muertos. In addition to corn and pumpkin, there are also other seasonal foods native to Mexico, such as: GuavaTejocote (Mexican hawthorn) and tuna (prickly pear) play an important role in the cultural heritage of the festival. These local dishes reflect the indigenous roots of the festival. They help us reconnect with the culture and humanity of its people.

Día de Muertos is not just a holiday. It's spiritual. It's about building an altar. It's about organizing a celebration as an offer or gift. My Muertos celebration is traditional for me. My Abuelo grew up on a ranch in Río Grande, in the Mexican state of Zacatecas, where his family lived off the land and ate corn, squash, beans, chiles, and nopales.

This year I want to cook mixiotes, a traditional dish served during Muertos, especially in Hidalgo and throughout the Altiplanicie region of northern and central Mexico (Estado de México, Tlaxcala, Puebla, Hidalgo and Querétaro).

Chefs prepare it with meats such as lamb, rabbit or chicken. The meat is marinated in a light adobo made from dried chilies and vinegar. Traditionally, it is wrapped in a thin foil obtained from the stems of magical plants such as agave and then steamed or boiled in a pit.

“Mixiote” is derived from a Nahuatl word and refers to both the material in which it is wrapped (xiotl, or the outer skin of an agave leaf) and the dish itself.

However, due to limited access to the endangered wild agave species, parchment paper is now used instead. Mixiotes catch the eye because of their appearance: the meat package in Adobo is like a bundled gift.

I garnish it with honeynut squash, but any other pumpkin will do, such as butternut or acorn squash. The package is tied tightly with kitchen twine, steamed for just 30 minutes and should be unpacked at the table.

I grew up in Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco state, where guavas and tejocotes are plentiful and fill the markets this time of year. The only capirotada, or bread pudding, I've ever loved is the one from Jalisco, studded with guava and pecans. I make mine with sweet egg bread like pan de yenima, challah, or brioche.

The food I cook for Muertos keeps well, is prepared in advance and ready before my guests arrive. This way I can focus my attention on placing photos of their loved ones on the community altar and meeting with them to share stories.

And if you make the capirotada in advance, the bread can absorb the seasoned piloncillo syrup. Place it in the oven while you place a plate of food on the altar for your Muertitos to feast on. They will be so happy that you cooked for them. Of course you are also welcome to enjoy the festival with them.

The food in your oven might look different than mine. This is a beautiful way to acknowledge all the traditions that are closest to your and my roots. Ask yourself: What do you want to tell people who come to honor their ancestors? What do your dishes celebrate? Take her to the altar.