Mexican Day of the Dead

Maybe you have heard something about this Mexican tradition, maybe you haven't, well it doesn't matter because I'm going to tell you something about this day.

In Mexico we celebrate through Oct 31st, Nov 1 & 2, in Oct 31st we honor children, in Nov 1st we honor adults, while in Nov 2nd it's All Souls day or Fieles Difuntos. For this we put altares or ofrendas in our houses or in the cemetery, they include a picture of the deceased one, some of their favorite dishes, pan de muerto that represents the deceased, candles, marigolds (cempasuchitl) which symbolize the connection established between the real world and the one beyond, sugar and chocolate skulls (calaveras de azúcar), some papel picado and water. With this we are receiving and inviting our relatives that have died to visit and join us with the food they preferred, the flowers are to attract them, the light of the candles show them the place where the ofrenda is set, and sometimes there's set a cempasuchitl path to the ofrenda from the outside of the house to show the deceased ones the way in and so they don't get lost.

Here is a picture of a simple altar that I made at home for my deceased relatives.

Ofrenda de Día de Muertos

Pan de Muerto & Calaverita de azúcar

Being Mexican with this traditions is a great honor, I actually love this tradition more than any other else, it's very special to me, and living here and get to see all the different ways people celebrate around the country it’s just awesome, one example is the Xantolo in the Huasteca Hidalguense, all the colors, the feeling of happiness...it’s a wonderful sensation. I invite you to witness this wonderful celebration.

What do you think of this tradition; would you receive the deceased like this? Have you ever witnessed it?

Pineapple shortcake from..Taiwan!

Last week an exchange student from Taiwan gave some friends and me a pineapple shortcake, the mos t amazing thing of this was the envelope, I didn't understand a thing of what it said, just what was written in english and of course the numbers, I can imagine what does it said but I'm not entirely sure...

Well returning to the main topic I haven't eated yet...but my friends say it was tasty!

I think it was a very nice gesture from him to give us this even though he doesn't speak, understand, write or read english nor spanish! That must be kind of frustrating, because sometimes he finds it very difficul to express what he feels, needs, etc.

Have you ever received an edible gift from another country?! Did you liked it? and how do you think it would be living like my taiwanese friend in another country without being able to communicate?

Soooo sweet cinnamon rolls...

 

Have you ever had a Starbucks' cinnamon roll!? They are one of the best CR I've ever tasted!! Really, along with a Caramel Frappe (with lots of caramel) it's the best coffee break I can ever have!

I'm not a cofeeholic, because I have to confess coffee sends me right into my bed, hot, cold or whatever it makes me fall asleep as a baby!

Returning to where I was...I've wanted to bake those fantastic cinnamon rolls, but I'm not sure they will taste (or look) like the ones of Starbucks, but that is not the only reason I've stopped in front of the oven; 

a) I've heard they take too much time and that (it's like a rule) you end up with a terrible mess in your kitchen 

b) I've also found like 5 different recipes, but they have like 6 ingredients in common, everything else changes!

c) When I'm about to start with them I receive an invite to Starbucks so I choose to buy one there to go with my coffee!

Well, do you have a great cinnamon rolls recipe?! Is it good? or, are you scared(or not brave enough, like me) to try and/or fail? Can you break down one of my described insecurities about them?

A sweet treat: Music

For me a sweet treat is music, exactly the one of the groups I admire, one of them recently released their new album called "Hands all over", that group is Maroon 5. Since their first album, they caught my attention, and now they still have it! Their album is great, it has the esence of the group, while the half of the album is kind of funky-danceable, the other half is enjoyable in a more calmed way. With the basic theme of -don´t go-, -I still love you- & -You are everything- they got me tangled to it, I don´t know if it is because it's one of my favorite groups, but, I haven't stopped listenig to it since the day of the release, now I have my favorite songs, but love them all the same! Really I recommend it so much.