As the Day of the Dead approaches, the best way to revisit our ancestral roots is by supporting local businesses that celebrate the holiday with the typical flavors, colors, smells and textures of Mexico.
From specific dishes, sugar skulls, the famous bread of the dead, flowers, candles and even old articles of the deceased, the altar of the dead is a potpourri honoring our loved onesnow in the afterlife and who are invited to spend a night in the world of the living with everything they enjoyed in life.
Here we tell you where you can find the best flowers, food and bread of the dead, all without leaving El Paso!
We visited Flowerland Wholesale, located at 4128 Montana, and talked with general manager Claudia Fernanda Sanchez who shared her experience this season with the cempasúchil flower, also known as the Mexican Marigold. Claudia mentions that Flowerland Wholesale has a wide variety of flowers that are used for altars, including carnations in striking colors such as fiusha, red, orange and yellow.
Given the season, Claudia recommends making cempasúchil flower sections, since it is the most valued flower this season. “Here we are at your service… and it is our pleasure to attend to you,” she said with a smile before we left for our next local business.
Later we stopped by Taconeta located at 311 Montana Ave. A-1, where we spoke with owner Alejandro Borunda who told us more about the pan de muerto and his original recipe.
“Basically, Taconeta is focusing on making pan de muerto with Totomoxtle ash, which is the shell of corn,” Alejandro told us, it is a traditional method from Oaxaca. His twist includes filling the bread with cream of chocolate de abuelita.
Alejandro suggests ordering online from now until November 2, because demand is currently high. To order, you can visit toasttab.com/taconeta/v3.
If you celebrate with your altar of the dead at home or if you prefer to celebrate a traditional Day of the Dead, Café Mayapán has its great annual celebration.
We walked around the Café Mayapán and spoke to one of the employees, Ana Gomez, who told us that every year, as a community, they put up their altars for the dead and have a special menu in which they offer dishes from parts of various Mexican regions.
This year, they will have a large altar in the restaurant lobby and offer Oaxacan food. The menu will feature exquisite moles of different types, Oaxacan tamales, the famous tlayudas with quesillo and grasshoppers.
Ana also tells us that the community is already looking forward to having the experience of reconnecting with their ancestral traditions, so she recommends making reservations in advance.
Now there is no excuse not to celebrate the Day of the Dead, consume local and learn about the roots of this tradition while trying delicious foods.. However you celebrate the Day of the Dead, make sure you celebrate locally!
