Capirotada image via
Tomorrow is the beginning of Lent, or Cuaresma... it sounds better in Spanish doesn't it? Now, I'm not super religious, I think I'm catholic more by culture than by faith, but that's something for another post! And while I do understand the religious tradition behind it, (I mean I did go to a Catholic school), the thing I love the most about Cuaresma is the food!!! Tortas de Camarón con Mole, Croquetas de Zanahoria, and CAPIROTADA!!! Oh, how I love Capirotada :)
Capirotada is a traditional Mexican bread pudding. I'm not even going to try and list the ingredients because I know everybody makes it different. My grandma, for example, tops it off with tortillas and queso fresco. And while it may sound a rare combination taking into account that it's supposed to be a dessert, I assure you it's very delicious! I've never made it myself, in fact I haven't even tried to make it because I know it won't be as good as my grandma's. Last year when I went to visit her in México she made a whole pot of Capirotada just for me, I was so happy!
I do not know if in other countries, or even in the rest of México, people have a Cuaresma menu. I know my family does, and while we might not make those plates exclusively during Lent, we do make them every year during this season. They were part of my childhood Cuaresmas, and my moms, and my mom's mom... and I guess I should really learn how to make that Capirotada so my kid can grow up with it as well ;)
If I had told the nuns at school that my favorite part about Lent was the food, I've would've spent many after schools writing pages and pages of planas as punishment! They always taught us that Lent was about sacrifice, fasting, and giving something up... I'm not giving something up because living miles away from my family is enough sacrifice for me! God knows that's better than giving up chocolate :)
