Bread of the Dead
With the Central American holiday Dia de los Muertos coming up Nov. 1 and 2, Aurora Bakery is preparing the traditional pan de muerto, or Bread of the Dead. Resembling something like a giant, inflated sand dollar, the round loaf represents a skull and bones, explains Aurora owner Patricia Paiva. She bakes a version of the sweet, eggy bread flavored with fresh orange zest.
For the next week, the counter at Paiva's cheery Nolensville Road shop will be piled with colorful loaves topped with bright pastel-tinged crystal sugar—pink for joy, white for purity, purple for sadness.
It's hard to be sad inside Paiva's shop, where the display cases brim with traditional Mexican pastries named for their shapes. Sweet breads and cookies with names that translate to "ribs," "kisses," "tongues," and "bakers" line the shelves. Paiva also serves a menu of sandwiches, including a chicken salad with apples on homemade French loaf. It's just plain old beige bread, but it will make you so happy, it may as well be colored pink.
Aurora Bakery and Cafe Papillon, located at 3725 Nolensville Rd., offers three sizes of pan de muerto for $3.65, $7.50 and $12.50. Aurora's pan de muerto will be available at Cheekwood's Dia de los Muertos celebration on Saturday.
Comments
The PdM pictured above will square off against raisin challah from Alpha Bakery tonight Chez Fox. Should be an interesting taste-test. I'll report back.
Posted 10/26/2007 at 03:05:52 PMi put my money on the challah - site unseen.
Posted 10/26/2007 at 03:09:27 PMBut this is PINK.
Posted 10/26/2007 at 03:20:19 PMbetter make it a blind taste test... don't let pink sway you.
Posted 10/26/2007 at 04:08:22 PMi just wanna know which makes the better french toast on sunday morning.
It's exactly as you described.
Posted 10/26/2007 at 07:20:10 PMWow.
The results are in: five out of five toddlers prefer "pink bread" to challah. Four out of four adults prefer challah.
Posted 10/26/2007 at 09:15:51 PMWhen it comes to toddlers, pink bread is indeed joyful.
A challah victory. Heh heh.
Posted 10/27/2007 at 12:59:32 AMAn added bonus, she said she uses only trans-fat free shortening for her bakery yummies.
Posted 10/28/2007 at 08:52:06 AMGreat! Now I have the perfect item to take along to our kids' All Saint's Day party.
Posted 10/28/2007 at 02:42:12 PMjews 1 / mexicans 0
Posted 10/29/2007 at 01:13:51 PM(unless you're a toddler)
nothing beats an Alpha bakery challah...I even brought one up to NJ to share with family!
Posted 10/30/2007 at 04:45:23 PM