Celebrating World Vegan Day and the Day of the Dead – Día de los Muertos– on the same day is fabulous!! Not only can I induldge in some sweet baked bread, but it also allows me to time and space travel whilst munching away.
Its’ flavour and texture take me back to my first Día de los Muertos experience. My friends invited me to join celebrations in a small village in the State of Veracruz, Mexico. After a short ride from Xalapa, I found myself surrounded by exotic aromas, scents, vibrant colours, music, and beautifully decorated streets, door frames, and ofrendas. Ofrendas are lovingly decorated altars, set up in families’ homes, which are overflowing with candles, flowers, fruit, candy skulls, and A LOT OF FOOD! A center piece is the Pan de Muerto – absolutely essential to the ofrenda!
I spent quite some time to find a ‘veganized‘ version of the traditional sweet treat. I’m happy I finally found a (Thank you Dora!!) that’ll take you closer to the mystical tradition that the Aztecs started some 3,000 years ago. What a legacy, amongst so many other traditions and relics!
Enjoy with a hot chocolate, or coffee, to dip – then lean back, close your eyes, and allow your mind to travel….
Did you know that the first of November is ‘World Vegan Day’? And as if that wasn’t enough, did you know that the entire month of November is officially ‘World Vegan Month’?? Many of you will be equally excited as I am, already planning their plant-based meals for the days and weeks to come. Many more though will now be rolling their eyes… I know. And that’s OK.
Facts, not fiction
I’m not trying to convince anybody what to eat or what not to eat. What I’d like to do, is present some facts. It’s up to you then to decide what to do with these. You have to admit though, some of the facts presented in the video are quite convincing to try at least for a day, the 1st of November 2018. If you manage to cut out all animal products for an entire day, that’s already a huge achievement! Imagine just 1 person in 100 doing this. Extrapolating that globally – that’s HUGE!
World Vegan Day is not a new thing. It’s not ‘the new kid on the block’ as many of you may assume because the vegan movement has been growing exponentially over the past 5 years. World Vegan Day in fact has been around since 1994, and it is not a coincident that it falls on the same day as the ‘Day of the Dead’. El ‘Día de los Muertos’, is an ancient multi-day holiday, which starts on the 1st of November and is celebrated throughout Mexico.
Let’s embrace the vegan challenge together
I embraced the vegan lifestyle in 2015. Although that doesn’t make me a complete ‘newbie’, I am excited to learn more as I go. Moreover, I am trying to bridge the divide between vegans and non-vegans. The world is getting too small of a place to put labels onto people who’s motives we don’t understand. We’re all breathing the same air and share the same planet, so let’s learn from each other rather than ‘roll our eyes’ or worse, attack each other for our choices. It’s not a diet; it’s an identity. You don’t do vegan, you are vegan (or not).
Let’s start with a sweet incentive – traditional Pan de Muerto
My connection with México runs deep! Living in this beautiful and mystical country for almost 2 years, on and off, I learnt to love their Día de los Muertos traditions! I am deeply grateful that I experienced this festivity in the small villages, pueblitos, in the State of Veracruz, to which my university friends kindly invited me. Amazing and unforgettable – this was a true experience of Mexican hospitality!! And, I was introduced to Pan de Muerto, a special sweet treat, which is offered to the spirits of the beloved relatives who passed away. In some cases the sweet bread is eaten at the side of their graves, and it is believed that the spirits absorb its’ flavour and essence.
Pan de Muerto, Despeinadas (Mixquic)
Try for yourself! It’s a real delight, and makes your vegan day, or maybe the first day of your vegan month (?) a lot easier 🙂 I’ll be sharing my favourite plant-based recipes daily this month. This said, I hope you’re motivated to cook along and take on the ‘vegan challenge’ until the 30th Nov!
I’d love to hear your thoughts and comments. Please share below!
