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Death leaves a heartache no one can heal, love leaves a memory no one can steal.
~From a Headstone in Ireland
The loss of someone close is always unexpected. Even when I carefully evaluated my father’s diagnosis and knew that it would take a miracle for him to walk out of that hospital, I still found myself overwhelmed with shock and grief when he passed away 3 years ago. And like many who’ve gone before me, the pain of his loss never goes away…it only becomes less frequent as time passes. I remember the day a trusted friend gave me a piece of advice that alleviated the sadness I felt about the loss of my father. Rather than dwell on what I had lost, what better way to remember him than to talk candidly with my children about all of the wonderful memories we shared together…his vibrant personality…the way he sang and dance to vintage country music…and the poignant memories he shared with my children.
This remembering of loved ones who have passed away is what defines Día de Muertos, Mexico’s reverent holiday observed each year from October 31st through November 1st. Throughout the world, Day of the Dead is celebrated through the building of private alters (aka ofrendas) which honor those who have died using sugar skulls, marigolds, and those foods which their loved ones enjoyed during their life. As is characteristic of many Hispanic cultures, food is an integral part of this celebration and fiestas may often include pan de muerto, sugar skulls, candied pumpkin, tamales, mole, and atole.
In honor of the upcoming celebration, I made an easy Champurrado, a thick, chocolate-based atole that gleans its texture from masa (or masa harina). There are a number of different variations of this drink, but I opted to adhere to tradition and use just a handful of ingredients including Maseca, Semi-Sweet Chocolate, Brown Sugar, Milk, Cinnamon and Vanilla, all available at your local Walmart.
- 1/3 cup Maseca
- 2 cups Filtered water
- 2 cups Milk I use 2% Organic Milk
- 3 ounces of Dark or semi-sweet chocolate finely chopped
- 1/4 cup Brown sugar
- 2 Cinnamon Sticks
- 1 Vanilla bean split lengthwise
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In a saucepan over low-medium heat, whisk together Maseca and water until combined
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Stir in milk, chocolate, and sugar
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Add cinnamon sticks and vanilla bean and simmer over medium heat
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Cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until mixture has thickened
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Discard cinnamon sticks before serving
Adapted from El Mejor Nido
I first tasted Champurrado during a Day of the Dead celebration in Los Angeles last year and was pleasantly surprised at how thick and creamy this drink is. If you browse the web, you’ll find an endless number of variations of this drink and I’m already dreaming up ways to spice it up including adding espresso, hazelnut, and/or pumpkin! Champurrado can be served with churros and is often enjoyed as part of Día de Muertos celebrations.
While our culture in particular does not celebrate Día de Muertos, I can personally attest to how comforting and healing it is to spend some time remembering my father. Those who have gone before us have left a legacy and I can’t imagine a better way to celebrate loved ones than to spending some time talking about the impact they made on us here on Earth.
Do you celebrate Día de Muertos? If so, I encourage you to visit my fellow Walmart Moms for recipe and craft ideas and inspiration.
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