Maybe you aren't quite there yet, you didn't build an altar to invite the spirit of your departed loved ones to visit this Day of the Dead (Dia de Lost Muertos) which falls November 1st and 2nd, lining the way with petals of marigolds, lighting their way with candles. No reason you can't enjoy some of the traditional treats of this festive season. Along with Pan de Muertos (Day of the Dead bread see recipe in this article: If Dia de Los Muertos isn't Mexican halloween, what is it really?), candied pumpkin treats called Pepita (follow link for recipe), Atole is an easy, comforting sweet beverage, usually placed as an ofrenda or offering on Dia de Los Muertos altars, but its also delicious for you and your family.
The name Atole comes from the Nahuatl (this was the language of the Aztecs) atolli and is only one of the many ways the Mexican's use corn (see What is Mexican smut? Maiz Part I for a some of the other inventive uses of this staple of the Mexican diet). To make it, masa is heated and sweetened. A breakfast of tamales y atole is probably the most common way to start the day in Central Mexico. To follow suit, you'll want to visit a small puesto (market stand) on Hampshire near the corner of Chezar Chavez, where, for under $4, you can start you day the Mexican way.
Recipe for Atole from Tres Señoritas Gourmet
- 1/2 cup masa (available at La Palma, Chico's Produce or Casa Lucas, all on 24th St.)
- 5 cups water or milk
- 1-2 cinnamon sticks
- 5 tablespoons piloncillo (available at Casa Lucas)
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
For a traditional, slow-cooking approach, toast the masa first on a comal just long enough to seal in the flavor, just as you might with rice, taking care not to over-cook or burn. This step is optional. In a large saucepan, whisk masa into water or milk to which you have added the cinnamon sticks and vanilla extract, adding the masa little by little, taking care that your mixture is free of lumps. Heat over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it just begins to thicken. Add piloncillo and continue stirring until all piloncilla has dissolved completely, then bring to a boil stirring constantly so your atole does become lumpy. The final consistency of your atole is a personal choice, as it is consumed from thin, almost like hot chocolate, to a thicker, gruel-like consistency, depending upon which Mexican grandmother is making it!
Add one of the hexagonal pieces of Abuelita Chocolate (see The Secrets and Pleasures of Mexican cooking: Abuelita Chocolate) and just a hint of anise to your mixture before you bring it to a boil to make Champurrado, a delicious Mexican hot chocolate treat.
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