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My obsession with Halloween often blinds me to the fact that there is another event occurring this week. Day of the Dead is a Mexican holiday, which is celebrated on Nov. 1 and 2 and honors deceased friends and family with special food, drinks, and sugar skulls. Never heard of it? Never fear. We asked a top chef and mom for help in planning a Mexican menu for your very own Day of the Dead Celebration. Or you can visit the Mexican Recipe group for even more inspiration.
Sara Salzinski is a chef instructor at The Chopping Block, a cooking school in Chicago. She shared with us the following menu and recipe for the Day of the Dead cooking class, which is offered this weekend. The best part about it? It's fun to make with kids. Sara says, "It's funny because I have a 3-year-old daughter who LOVES to chop. I obviously can't give her a knife, so we use bench scrapers [what pastry chefs use to divide dough] and she can chop up mushrooms, veggies, cheese, whatever." Hopefully, this menu will inspire you to plan your own Day of the Dead Celebration.
Day of the Dead Menu
Margaritas
Spicy shrimp cocktail (recipe below)
Chile en nogada (pork-stuffed jalapenos in a creamy walnut sauce)
Corn, spinach, and chicken enchiladas verdes
Chocolate Churros
Recipe for Spicy Shrimp Cocktail
1 pound shrimp, cooked
1/2 cup lime juice
3/4 cup ketchup
1-2 tablespoons hot sauce
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 small onion, minced
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
Toss the cooked shrimp in a large bowl with the remaining ingredients and mix well.
For the dressing:
1 ripe avocado
1/4 onion, small dice
1 garlic clove, sliced
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 Serrano or jalapeno chili pepper, seeds removed
1 tablespoon lime juice
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Puree all of the ingredients for the dressing in a blender until smooth and season to taste with salt and pepper. Arrange alternate layers of the shrimp and dressing in glasses and serve.
Do you celebrate this holiday?
Comments (2)
yes we remember like with a party to honor our dead and to remember them as they were in life we have to days the first of November is for our angels our baby's thathave gone to heaven then on the second of November we remember our families as our parents grandparent who have past we make sugar skulls and make their favorite food for them to come and join us as a sign of remembrance in Mexico they decorate the tombs and make it festive its a very nice tradition that we as Hispanics try to pass to our children and we also have a special bread called pan de muerto bread of the dead we usually have it its just a sweet Mexican bread
Dia de los muertos, or Day of the Dead, also falls on my birthday. Of course I think about loved ones in my life who have passed often, but it's really nice to have a day to honor them. And that's my wedding cake in the photo! Thanks for using it Cafe Kim! I choose this topper for my cake because I think it's beautiful and it made me feel like those who couldn't be with me at my wedding were there in spirit. The cake was also decorated with Mexican celebratory flags made of sugar.