One of the most celebrated traditions in the Mexican culture is the one that honors the memory of their loved ones. In Mexico, this celebration is carried out in a special way, and the tradition is called Day of the Dead. On this occasion, special dishes are prepared, and the relatives of the deceased prepare them in the manner the deceased enjoyed them.

These culinary offerings are the center piece of the offering.  The altar is decorated with cempasuchitl flowers. The fragrance of the flowers blends with the aroma of burnt copal.

Mary J. Andrade has gathered many of these special recipes together in her series of books on Day of the Dead in Mexico. Below are a few notable samples from different regions of Mexico.

From Michoacan

Pan de Muerto
(Day of the Dead Bread)

Ingredients:
1 teaspoon dry yeast
1/4 cup lukewarm water
4 cups all-purpose flour
6 eggs
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, melted
orange-flower water (optional)
egg wash (1 egg white plus 1/2 egg yolk)
sugar for sprinkling
aniseed and nutmeg
 

Preparation:
Combine the yeast with the water and 1/3 cup of the flour. Let stand until the mixture doubles in volume.
      Place the remaining flour in a large bowl, and in the center place the eggs, salt, sugar, aniseed, nutmeg, butter, and orange-flower water. Beat together, then add the yeast mixture, combining it with the dough. Knead on a floured board for 15 minutes or until the dough no longer sticks to the surface.
      Place the dough in a greased bowl. Cover with a cloth and let rise in a warm, draft free area for 3 hours or until the mixture doubles in volume.
     Preheat the oven to 450° F. Pinch off about 1/3 of the dough and form into a 2-inch ball. Shape the ball into a long rope. Mold pieces of the rope to resemble little bones. Set aside.
     Shape the remaining dough into a round loaf and lightly graze with egg wash. Place the ball of dough in the center of the loaf and arrange the "bones" in a circular pattern around the ball. Glaze with the remaining egg wash.
     Bake for 10 minutes in the hot oven. Lower the temperature to 350° F, and continue baking for 30 minutes.
     Sprinkle with sugar and serve at room temperature.

From Oaxaca

Fruit Atole
(Hot drink made from corn starch and fruit)

Ingredients:
10 cups milk
1/2 lb. sugar
2 lb. selected fuit
1 stick cinnamon
1/8 tsp. baking soda
1 cup corn starch

Preparation:
Wash, cut and cook the fruit in water. Drain and transfer to a blender. In a saucepan, combine the strained fruit, milk, sugar and baking soda. Dissolve the corn starch in some water and combine it with the rest of the ingredients. Set the mixture over low heat, stirring constantly until it thickens. Add sugar to taste before mixture begins to boil.

From Oaxaca

Black Mole with Chicken for Tamales
 

Ingredients:
5 lbs. chicken
8 cups water
1 garlic clove
1/2 onion
1 Tbs. salt
Sauce:
9 oz. chiles anchos, seeds and membranes removed
8 oz. chiles guajillo, seeds and membranes removed
6 oz. chiles chilguacle, seeds and membranes removed
6 oz. onion
9 oz. sesame seeds
9 oz. raisins
9 oz. almonds
1 piece french bread
2 lbs. chocolate
1 1/2 stick cinnamon
10 lbs. tomatoes
1 Tbs. sugar
8 whole cloves
4 black peppercorns
1/2 tsp. aniseed
chicken stock
salt to taste

Preparation:
Rinse the chicken. Place it with water, garlic, onion and salt in a large pot or Dutch oven, bring to a boil; cover and simmer over medium heat for 1 hour or until the chicken is tender. Drain, reserving the stock, and set aside.
     To make the sauce, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a skillet, add the chiles anchos, pasillas and guajillos and sauté for 1-2 minutes. Transfer to a bowl, cover with hot water and soak for 30 minutes. Drain, transfer to a blender and puree, set aside.
     Roast the tomatoes. Peel the tomatoes, transfer to a blender, and puree. Set aside.
     In the same oil in which you sautéed the chiles, sauté the onion and garlic for 2-3 minutes. Transfer to a blender. In the same oil, sauté the almonds for 5 minutes. Add the cloves, peppercorns, cinnamon, bread and aniseed and sauté for 3 minutes more. Transfer to the blender, add the raisins and puree.
     Heat the cup of oil in a large pot or Dutch oven. Stir all of the purees together, add to the pot and boil for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the chocolate and sugar stirring constantly. When the mixture comes to a boil, add 4 cups of the chicken stock. Cover and cook over low heat for 20 minutes. Add salt and seasoning to taste. If the sauce is too thick, add more stock.
     Add the pieces of chicken, cover and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, toast the sesame seeds in a small skillet over medium heat until they are golden. Serve the chicken mole hot, sprinkled with the sesame seeds.

How to prepare the dough for the tamales:
     In Oaxaca the dough for tamales is made the traditional way; to begin, corn is cooked with lime for the nixtamal. Then the nixtamal is taken to the mill where the corn is ground and thus the tamale dough is made. Here in the United States one can easily find a pre-prepared tamale dough in stores that sell Mexican products.
     To the dough just add pork fat and knead well. Overlapping layers of banana leaves are used to wrap the tamale. First place the dough, then the chicken and cover with the mole sauce. The tamale is then placed in a steamer for two hours.
     The Oaxacan women know the art of folding the banana leaves so that the content of the tamale do not spill out.
     The tamales are then cooked in a steam bath for 40 to 45 minutes.