For the Dia de los muertos, pan de los muertos is placed on altars (ofrendas) so spirits can absorb the essence and receive enough nourishment for their journey to the afterlife.
Glasses of water, which symbolizes purity and renewal, are also placed on the ofrendas to help nourish the spirits.
The cempasúchil flower is an orange marigold that the Aztecs used to remember their dead. Its color represents the tones of the earth and guides the souls to their homes and ofrendas.
This special bread is often made with anise seeds and orange peel. The small round piece of dough on top symbolizes a tear drop and the dough strips symbolize bones. It is a yeast bread, so with time for rising, it takes about 3 hours to bake. This was my first time making a
yeast bread, so I was amazed that it was so easy and the bread was light and airy. The liquid around it is a glaze made with orange juice and sugar. After coating the surface with the glaze, I sprinkled it with sugar. The bread has a lovely orange/anise flavor.
The picture on the right shows a close-up view of the bread I made. You can see the anise seeds, and the texture of the bread.
A great recipe for Pan de los Muertos along with other information can be found at
http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/pan-de-muertos-mexican-bread-of-the-dead/Detail.aspx.
This was my first attempt, so I expect next year's version to be even better!
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