Capirotada
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Capirotada (pronounced: Cah-pi-ro-ta-da) is a common Mexican bread pudding that is traditionally eaten during Lent. It is generally composed of toasted french bread soaked in mulled syrup, cheese (often with other dairy as well, such as butter or milk), raisins, and peanuts. The syrup is generally made with water, piloncillo Mexican brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, coriander, star anise (or aniseed), cloves, and peppercorns.
It is wheat bread to which raw sugar, cinnamon, cheese, butter, pecans, peanuts and raisins are added. These are identical ingredients to those used during the 1640s in New Spain 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 cloves 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.
