Some women also dress as Calavera Catrina in long, flowing, brightly-colored lace dresses paired with flower crowns and sugar skull makeup. Sometimes, children dress in costume and ask people on the street for a calaverita (a small gift of money). Unlike Halloween, though, they don’t knock on doors.
Usually, deceased children are honored on November 1, while deceased adults are honored on November 2. For children (los angelitos or little angels) bring toys and sugar skulls; for adults, bring bottles of their favorite alcoholic beverage (tequila, mezcal, pulque). You can visit the graves of your loved ones any time during the holiday, or even spend all night in the cemetery eating, drinking, talking, playing cards, and listening to music.
Traditionally, calaveras literarias were written in four-line stanzas in which the second line rhymes with the last line, or five-line stanzas in which the third line rhymes with the last line. In modern times, many of these poems are written in blank verse and are no longer than one page. [7] X Research source For instance, if your loved one was a poor bullfighter, you could write a short poem in which they struggle or fail during a bullfight. Humor often plays a large role in the calaveras literarias.
Masks can be either half- or full-face. Traditional designs include skulls and flowers. You can use crayons, markers, puffy paint, glitter glue, etc. , to decorate your mask as you wish.
Many people choose to pray, and add a Christian cross and statues or pictures of the Blessed Virgin Mary to the altar. Catrina figures (a costumed female with a skeleton face) are popular decorations for altars
Decorate the calaveras using colored icing, sequins, feathers, and more. You can also buy the sugar skulls “ready made” and then decorate them.
Piloncillo is Mexican unrefined brown sugar; to substitute, you can mix 2 teaspoons (9. 86 mL) molasses with every 1/4 cup (59 mL) of brown sugar. This recipe yields 6-8 servings of calabaza en tacha.
You can serve atole as is, or choose to add 1 cup (237 mL) of pureed fruit, such as pineapple or strawberries, to your dish before serving. This recipe yields 5-6 servings of atole.
Stir 1/2 packet (3. 5 g) active-dry yeast and 1/4 cup (59 mL) warm water in a large bowl and allow it to rest for 10 minutes. Heat 1/4 cup (59 mL) La Lechera sweetened condensed milk and 1/4 cup (1/2 stick or 59 mL) unsalted butter over medium heat until the butter is melted. Add 1/2 teaspoon (2. 46 mL) anise seeds, 1/4 teaspoon (1. 23 mL) salt, and the La Lechera mixture to the yeast mixture and stir to combine. Add 2 large eggs and 1 cup (237 mL) flour and mix well with a wooden spoon. Add 1 ¼ cups (296 mL) flour, in small increments, stirring well until the dough comes together.
Place dough in a large greased bowl and cover it with greased plastic wrap. Let the dough rise in a warm place for 1 hour or until it has doubled in size. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
To make a skull, remove 3 tablespoons (44. 36 mL) of dough and form each into a ball. Shape the larger dough into a loaf. Roll 2 of the balls into long worm shapes to form the bones on top of the bread. Drape the 2 worms-shaped dough pieces on top of the loaf to form an “X. ” Form the remaining ball into a skeleton head and gently place it on top of the “X. ”
Brush the top of the loaf with egg wash made from 1 egg yolk beaten with 2 teaspoons (9. 86 mL) water. Bake for 20 minutes; then remove the loaf from the oven and brush again with egg wash. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon (14. 79 mL) granulated sugar. Return it to the oven and bake for about 20 minutes or until loaf is golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped. Serve warm or cool completely.
