Today, January 6th, is celebrated and venerated in Latin America as the day the three kings (the magi) arrived to pay homage to the Christ child.
This day is marked by the eating of a cicular or oval cake called Rosca de Reyes. These are covered in candied fruit strips, representing the jewels on the king's crown, and are really tasty.
Inside, baked into the cake, is a figurine. Usually it is of a baby, representing the Christ child, but sometimes it is one of the three kings. Or sometimes a shepherd.
These cakes come in very large ovals for big families or gatherings; or, medium, small, or even individual sizes.
We had the medium size cake in the office this year, and yours truly got a figure of the shepherd. He's in green robes, holding his staff.
The usual tradition is that whomever gets the slice of cake containing the figurine must provide for everyone present tamales and atole on February 2. (Atole is a warm Mexican drink, with a finely ground hominy cornmeal base, flavored with cinnamon, fruit or chocolate. It's one of those things that doesn't sound very good. You're making a face about now, right? But it is absolutely delicious and soul satisfying. I mean, atole is sooo goooood.
Here is all that's left of our Rosca de Reyes this evening, our sad leftover, bagged up to stay fresh for tomorrow.
I imagine it will be all gone by noon tomorrow. It's quite good with your morning coffee.
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