Sunday, November 1, 2009

Halloween and Fantasy Fest are big in Key West. But for many people elsewhere, yesterday and today are important days for remembering loved ones and feasting. Mexico, for instance, celebrates El Dia de los Muertos, the day of the dead, a two-day festival that combines both the ancient Aztec tradition of worshipping the dead and the Christian festival of All Saints' Day.

The festival is based on a widely held belief that the souls of the dead are permitted to spend a brief period on Earth every year. And although it honors people who have died, it is seen by everyone as a joyous occasion. The Mexican attitude of life and death being part of the same circle is a strong tradition they share with many native and indigenous peoples worldwide. Death is just a passage from one type of living to another and you only really die when you are no longer remembered.

In Mexico, altars to the dead are often constructed in homes for the feast. Offerings or ofrenda placed on the altar usually consist of a wash bowl, basin, razors, soap and other items the traveling spirit can use to clean up after the journey. Altars might be covered with marigold flowers, fruits, vegetables, candles, incense, statues of saints and photos of the deceased. Pictures of the deceased are also placed on the altar, as well as any other things their spirit may enjoy, such as cigarettes or tequila. Candles are used to help light their way. It is believed that the souls of children, los angelitos, are the first to return; for them, toys and candies and not-so-spicy foods are provided. Separate miniature altars might be made for them with small cups and saucers.

This is also the time for families to clean up their loved ones' grave sites, painting and decorating them. They gather there to bring offerings, usually the favorite foods or beverages of the deceased person and symbolic foods eaten on the day. Local mariachi bands circulate and play favorite songs of the deceased on request. Food and drink are consumed in a party atmosphere. Special foods like candied pumpkin, tamales and "bread of the dead" play an important part in this tradition.

The vigils at the grave sites offer opportunities for astute merchandisers. Many carts are set up by vendors around the cemeteries to sell decorations and flowers. They take advantage of large groups to hawk candy skulls, chocolate coffins and other related treats for children.

Customs and foods vary in different parts of Mexico, but the idea is much the same all over. In larger cities they often have parades with horses, dancers and musicians. Cavorting skeletons are popular symbols of the feast, thanks to the famous muralist of the early 20th century, Diego Rivera, who specialized in depicting the rich and political as skeletons, presumably to emphasize the leveling power of death. A skeletal figure of his, in a plumed hat and dress, whom he named Katarina has become the visual icon of El Día de Los Muertos.

On the more serious side, relatives light candles at the graves, burn incense and say special prayers. Women spend days working to turn flowers into arches of flowers, with pictures of the deceased set into them. A priest is usually there to say prayers with each family. During the night-time candle-lit vigil, family members sit near the tombstones. It's a reflective -- not sad -- time; an opportunity to socialize, people talking quietly and visiting with other families.

So, what foods are offered to the beloved spirits? Naturally, you would want to provide the deceased with their favorite dishes. Sweet, egg-rich "bread of the dead" is one of the favorite foods of El Día de Los Muertos. The most common shape is round; others might be in the shape of human beings or animals. Some are sprinkled with sugar, with little knobs and strips of dough on top that represent bones and skulls. Sugar skulls can be personalized with names written on them, much as North Americans would decorate Easter eggs or gingerbread men. Chocolate often appears, sometimes in drinks, as does pumpkin candy made from huge green Mexican pumpkins grown expressly for the purpose.

It would be easy to poke fun at these traditions or to dismiss them as primitive. Here at home, we usually don't even want to talk about aging, let alone death. But we do enjoy the traditions of Halloween, which can be pretty ghoulish. Researching this article, I found a bizarre Web site called pushindaisies.com, a mortuary novelty site that features a rather odd variety of things. There were hearse key chains, notepaper and prints, T-shirts that announce that morticians really dig their jobs and others urging us to put the fun back in FUNerals. For Hannibal Lector wannabees, there are anatomically correct human hearts and brains in chocolate, even a do-it-yourself embalming kit. It makes the Mexican rituals look civilized.

Here are a few Mexican recipes that might be made in Mexico around the time of El Dia de los Muertos.

Bones-of-the-Dead

Cookies

3 large eggs

2 cups confectioners' sugar

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

In a large mixing bowl, beat eggs at high speed for 5 to 6 minutes. Add confectioners' sugar and mix 6 minutes more. Mix the flour and baking powder together and add one-third at a time to the egg mixture.

On floured work surface, roll the dough into 4 logs about 3 inches wide by 1/2-inch thick and as long as a cookie sheet. Cover with a clean towel and let sit overnight.

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Remove the dough logs from the cookie sheet and lay on a floured surface. Cut into 1-1/2-inch lengths and replace on the cookie sheet. Bake 20 minutes or until light golden brown. Remove from the sheet and allow to cool. Can be stored for up to one month in an airtight container.

Bread of the Dead

1 package active dry yeast

1 tsp sugar

1 cup warm milk (105-115°, no hotter)

3 cups (approximately) white bread flour

1/4 cup sugar

1 tsp salt

1/4 cup shortening or butter at room temperature

1 whole egg plus 1 egg yolk

1 egg yolk beaten with 1 tbs milk for glaze

Topping:

1/2 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/3 cup shortening

2/3 cup all-purpose flour

Powdered sugar for rolling out

Dissolve the yeast and one teaspoon sugar in the warm milk. Set aside for 5 to 8 minutes until a thick layer of foam forms on top.

Insert the dough blade (or metal blade) in food processor and place 2-1/4 cups of the bread flour, the sugar, salt and shortening in work bowl. Pulse to combine and cut in the shortening. Add the egg, yolk and yeast mixture through the feed tube, pulsing as you pour in the liquid. Process ingredients to make a batter, stopping several times to scrape sides. Add the rest of the flour until a soft ball of dough just begins to clean sides of the work bowl. Do not process more than 20 to 30 seconds after adding the final amount of flour. Place the dough in a lightly buttered bowl, cover and let rise in a warm place for 45 minutes to one hour.

Turn onto a lightly floured surface, divided into three pieces. Roll each into a 12-inch log. (The dough should be quite soft and not very elastic, but workable.) Braid the three logs together and place the braid on a lightly greased cookie sheet. Cover with buttered plastic wrap and let rise again until light but not doubled, about one hour.

For Topping: Insert the metal blade and place the brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and shortening in the work bowl. Process until creamy, then pulse in the 2/3-cup flour to combine. Place the topping dough on a surface dusted with powdered sugar and roll out to 1/8 to 1/4-inch thick. Cut out 8 pieces to make 4 crosses. Brush the bread dough with the beaten egg yolk mixture and affix the crosses on top.

Bake 25 to 30 minutes in a preheated 375° oven. Serve warm.

Any leftover cookie topping dough may be shaped into balls, flattened slightly and baked 12 to 15 minutes at 350° for sugar cookies.

Chicken Mole

(An easy, unusual recipe, which contains peanut butter)

3 tbs olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, chopped

3 tbs chili powder

1 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1 can diced tomatoes, drained

1 bell pepper, chopped

2 chipotle peppers, roughly chopped

1 can chicken broth

2 tbs peanut butter

2 ounces bittersweet chocolate chopped

1 large chicken, cut into 8 pieces

Toasted pumpkin seeds (optional for garnish)

Preheat oven to 350°. Heat oil in a pan over medium heat. Add onion and sauté. Add garlic and spices. Add diced tomatoes, peppers, chipotles, broth, peanut butter and chocolate. Simmer for 10 minutes. Strain and purée until smooth.

Sear the chicken in a heavy pan until browned on both sides. Add to casserole dish, cover with sauce and braise in the oven for 45 minutes to one hour. Garnish with pepitas, if desired. Good with white rice.

Dulces de Calabasas

(candied pumpkin)

2 lbs whole pumpkin (1-2 small, 1 quart when chopped)

water

1 cup brown sugar, packed

1/2 tsp ground cloves (optional)

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon (optional)

granulated sugar

Cut pumpkin in half, remove seeds and stringy pulp. Chop into pieces approximately 1-1/2 inches by 2-1/2 inches. Slice off skin, removing as little flesh as you can. You should have approximately one quart of pumpkin pieces. Put in a saucepan, cover with water. Cover; bring to a boil for 15 to 20 minutes.

Drain, but reserve water and place pumpkin back in pan. Measure water to make sure you have about 1-1/2 cups. Stir in packed brown sugar, add cloves and cinnamon. Cover, return to a boil and boil another 15 minutes.

Turn off heat and let sit overnight to "candy" the pumpkin. In the morning, return to a boil and cook an additional 5 minutes.

Remove pumpkin from syrup with a slotted spoon and place on a tray or cookie sheet lined with waxed paper. Allow to dry at least 10 to 12 hours in a place where it will not be disturbed. Roll in granulated sugar. Place in air-tight container to store up to two week.