Capirotada
Encyclopedia
Capirotada is a common Mexican bread pudding
that is traditionally eaten during Lent
. It is generally composed of toasted French bread soaked in a mulled syrup, sugar, raisins, and walnuts. The syrup is mixed with a little bit of water or milk to make it less thick; piloncillo (Mexican brown sugar), cinnamon, and nutmeg
. It is best served warm, but many choose to let it chill.
As these are native ingredients, they are still identical ingredients to those used during the 1640s to make breads and cakes. The ingredients and recipes have been recorded by the Holy Office of the Inquisition
and saved to this day in the archives.
The basic ingredients carry a rich symbolism to the Passion of Christ, and the dish is viewed by many Mexican and Mexican-American families as a reminder of the suffering of Christ on Good Friday
. The bread is for the Body of Christ, the syrup is his blood, the raisins are the nails of the cross, and the whole cinnamon sticks are the wood of the cross. The melted cheese stands for the Holy Shroud.
Bread pudding
Bread pudding is a bread-based dessert popular in many countries' cuisine, including that of Great Britain, France, Belgium, Puerto Rico, Mexico, Malta, Argentina, Louisiana Creole, and the southern United States...
that is traditionally eaten during Lent
Lent
In the Christian tradition, Lent is the period of the liturgical year from Ash Wednesday to Easter. The traditional purpose of Lent is the preparation of the believer – through prayer, repentance, almsgiving and self-denial – for the annual commemoration during Holy Week of the Death and...
. It is generally composed of toasted French bread soaked in a mulled syrup, sugar, raisins, and walnuts. The syrup is mixed with a little bit of water or milk to make it less thick; piloncillo (Mexican brown sugar), cinnamon, and nutmeg
Nutmeg
The nutmeg tree is any of several species of trees in genus Myristica. The most important commercial species is Myristica fragrans, an evergreen tree indigenous to the Banda Islands in the Moluccas of Indonesia...
. It is best served warm, but many choose to let it chill.
As these are native ingredients, they are still identical ingredients to those used during the 1640s to make breads and cakes. The ingredients and recipes have been recorded by the Holy Office of the Inquisition
Inquisition
The Inquisition, Inquisitio Haereticae Pravitatis , was the "fight against heretics" by several institutions within the justice-system of the Roman Catholic Church. It started in the 12th century, with the introduction of torture in the persecution of heresy...
and saved to this day in the archives.
The basic ingredients carry a rich symbolism to the Passion of Christ, and the dish is viewed by many Mexican and Mexican-American families as a reminder of the suffering of Christ on Good Friday
Good Friday
Good Friday , is a religious holiday observed primarily by Christians commemorating the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and his death at Calvary. The holiday is observed during Holy Week as part of the Paschal Triduum on the Friday preceding Easter Sunday, and may coincide with the Jewish observance of...
. The bread is for the Body of Christ, the syrup is his blood, the raisins are the nails of the cross, and the whole cinnamon sticks are the wood of the cross. The melted cheese stands for the Holy Shroud.