In this classic dish, native to the Yucatàn peninsula, warm corn tortillas are dunked into a pumpkin seed salsa, rolled up with crumbled hard-boiled eggs, and topped with a duo of sauces: more pumpkin seed and tomato salsa to boot.
This type ofpan de muertosis made for the celebration of the Days of the Dead, November 1 and 2, when families honor their dead by setting up a colorful altar in the house and preparing special foods to put on it and take to the graveside. While this custom has its roots in pre-Columbian central Mexico, it has become popular even in the north (though a friend from Sonora says that her mother considered it very bizarre). This semisweet yeast bread enriched with egg yolks and other similar breads are circular in form, transversed with "bones," and topped with a "skull." The same dough is used for therosca de reyes, made for the celebrations for Twelfth Night, January 6. Don't try to hurry the dough along; the flavor will develop better with slow rising. I certainly advise an electric mixer with dough hook for this type of dough, which is rather messy to handle.
Mole VerdeWhile this mole is best eaten soon after it is made, to appreciate the flavor of all the fresh greens, it can be prepared ahead up to the point of blending and adding the greens. Heat varies very much according to taste, so the number of serranos is optional. Typically this mole has a thickish texture and thickens more as it stands so it may require diluting. For all dishes of this kind, the larger and more compact the chicken the better — no fryers please. And adding extra giblets for a stronger broth is not a bad idea. This mole verde is also popularly made with espinazo, the backbone of the pig, which gives it a delicious flavor. I often make the mole with country-style spareribs cut into pieces.
Calabaza en TachaSeñora Consuelo de Mendoza There are many regional recipes for pumpkins cooked with raw sugar, eitherpiloncilloin the form of cones, orpanela,in thick rounds — the darker the color the richer the flavor. This recipe comes from the eastern part of Michoacán, where it is eaten preferably for breakfast with a glass of cold milk.
