"Making Bread of the Dead on the Eve of the Day of the Dead in Me"

#12843572

9 October 2025

Ivan Rosales, a chef who graduates from the Claustro de Sor Juana in Mexico City, is in charge of the Hibisco restaurant. He glazes and prepares Bread of the Dead in Xochimilco, a culinary tradition with pre-Hispanic roots. According to Ivan, the shape of the Bread of the Dead has a meaning, representing the cycle of life and death, and the bones represent the deceased, in Xochimilco, Mexico, on October 8, 2025.

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#12843573

9 October 2025

Different pieces of Pan de Muerto (Bread of the Dead) are on display in Xochimilco, Mexico City, Mexico, on October 8, 2025. This culinary tradition has pre-Hispanic roots. The shape of the Pan de Muerto represents the cycle of life and death, and the bones represent the deceased.

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#12843575

9 October 2025

Different pieces of Pan de Muerto (Bread of the Dead) are on display in Xochimilco, Mexico City, Mexico, on October 8, 2025. This culinary tradition has pre-Hispanic roots. The shape of the Pan de Muerto represents the cycle of life and death, and the bones represent the deceased.

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#12843574

9 October 2025

View of sugar skulls in Mexico City, Mexico, on October 8, 2025.

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#11668186

15 October 2024

Molds for making chocolate skulls are for sale in Mexico City, Mexico, on the eve of the Day of the Dead. Sugar skulls are made from alfenique, which is later changed to chocolate, using a jam originating in Spain. This technique is likely adopted from the Arab tradition. Alfenique is created from a mixture of cane sugar with egg whites, water, and lemon juice. Traditionally, a skull is decorated with various vegetable dyes mixed with powdered sugar, accompanied by colored labels on the top. These labels may or may not have the name of the person to whom it is addressed if it is a gift, the name of the person who wants to eat it, or the name of the deceased who cannot be missing from the altars for the Day of the Dead in Mexico.

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#11668187

15 October 2024

Molds for making chocolate skulls are for sale in Mexico City, Mexico, on the eve of the Day of the Dead. Sugar skulls are made from alfenique, which is later changed to chocolate, using a jam originating in Spain. This technique is likely adopted from the Arab tradition. Alfenique is created from a mixture of cane sugar with egg whites, water, and lemon juice. Traditionally, a skull is decorated with various vegetable dyes mixed with powdered sugar, accompanied by colored labels on the top. These labels may or may not have the name of the person to whom it is addressed if it is a gift, the name of the person who wants to eat it, or the name of the deceased who cannot be missing from the altars for the Day of the Dead in Mexico.

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#10729722

31 October 2023

Lucia Padron and Yamileth Padron, mother and daughter, are originally from the Tlahuac mayor's office in the extreme south of Mexico City, who make Pan de Muerto de Ceniza de Totomoxtle for sale on the eve of the Day of the Dead in Mexico on the 1st and 2nd of November. Both activities are divided into making the Totomoxtle Ash Bread of the Dead, from pouring wheat flour into a bowl to beat with milk, egg, yeast, sugar, salt, orange zest, butter, as well as making bone figurines. , varnish, bake the dough, decorate the bread and store it in a box for distribution and sale, among others. During this season they prepare up to 12 kilos of dough.

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#10729724

31 October 2023

Lucia Padron and Yamileth Padron, mother and daughter, are originally from the Tlahuac mayor's office in the extreme south of Mexico City, who make Pan de Muerto de Ceniza de Totomoxtle for sale on the eve of the Day of the Dead in Mexico on the 1st and 2nd of November. Both activities are divided into making the Totomoxtle Ash Bread of the Dead, from pouring wheat flour into a bowl to beat with milk, egg, yeast, sugar, salt, orange zest, butter, as well as making bone figurines. , varnish, bake the dough, decorate the bread and store it in a box for distribution and sale, among others. During this season they prepare up to 12 kilos of dough.

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#10666802

21 October 2023

Members of the Valdes family, originally from Santiago Zapotitlan Tlahuac, in the extreme south of Mexico City, pose at the end of making Bread of the Dead in a stone oven for sale on the eve of the Day of the Dead in Mexico on the 1st and November 2. This Mexican sweet bread is placed on altars to honor, remember, and, according to belief, feed deceased relatives who visit homes on the Day of the Dead.

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#10666738

21 October 2023

A member of the Valdes family, originally from Santiago Zapotitlan Tlahuac, in the extreme south of Mexico City, mixes egg with flour to prepare dough for making Bread of the Dead in a stone oven for sale on the eve of the Day of the Dead in Mexico next November 1 and 2. This Mexican sweet bread is placed on altars to honor, remember, and, according to belief, feed deceased relatives who visit homes on the Day of the Dead.

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#10666742

21 October 2023

A member of the Valdes family, originally from Santiago Zapotitlan Tlahuac, in the extreme south of Mexico City, mixes egg with flour to prepare dough for making Bread of the Dead in a stone oven for sale on the eve of the Day of the Dead in Mexico next November 1 and 2. This Mexican sweet bread is placed on altars to honor, remember, and, according to belief, feed deceased relatives who visit homes on the Day of the Dead.

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#10666796

21 October 2023

A member of the Valdes family, originally from Santiago Zapotitlan Tlahuac, in the extreme south of Mexico City, carries a baby while posing at the end of making Bread of the Dead in a stone oven for sale on the eve of the Day of the Dead in Mexico next November 1 and 2. This Mexican sweet bread is placed on altars to honor, remember, and, according to belief, feed deceased relatives who visit homes on the Day of the Dead.

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#10666728

21 October 2023

Members of the Valdes family, originally from Santiago Zapotitlan Tlahuac, in the extreme south of Mexico City, pour flour into a pan to prepare dough for making Bread of the Dead in a stone oven for sale on the eve of the Day of the Dead in Mexico next November 1 and 2. This Mexican sweet bread is placed on altars to honor, remember, and, according to belief, feed deceased relatives who visit homes on the Day of the Dead.

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#10666730

21 October 2023

Members of the Valdes family, originally from Santiago Zapotitlan Tlahuac, in the extreme south of Mexico City, pour flour into a pan to prepare dough for making Bread of the Dead in a stone oven for sale on the eve of the Day of the Dead in Mexico next November 1 and 2. This Mexican sweet bread is placed on altars to honor, remember, and, according to belief, feed deceased relatives who visit homes on the Day of the Dead.

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#10666734

21 October 2023

Members of the Valdes family, originally from Santiago Zapotitlan Tlahuac, in the southern end of Mexico City, pour egg whites into flour to prepare dough for making Bread of the Dead in a stone oven for sale on the eve of the Day of the Dead in Mexico next November 1 and 2. This Mexican sweet bread is placed on altars to honor, remember, and, according to belief, feed deceased relatives who visit homes on the Day of the Dead.

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#10666744

21 October 2023

Member of the Valdes family, originally from Santiago Zapotitlan Tlahuac, in the extreme south of Mexico City, they mix vanilla with egg and flour to prepare dough for making Bread of the Dead in a stone oven for sale on the eve of the Day of the Dead in Mexico next November 1 and 2. This Mexican sweet bread is placed on altars to honor, remember, and, according to belief, feed deceased relatives who visit homes on the Day of the Dead.

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