As Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) approaches, pan de muerto, a fluffy sweet pastry that glitters with sugar starts appearing in Latinx bakeries.
The bread is placed as an ofrenda (offering) in altars honoring loved ones who have passed. It is made in the days leading up to Dia de los Muertos—celebrated on the first two days of November
According to tradition, any boundaries between the spirit world and the real world vanish on Day of the Dead, allowing the souls of the dead to return to the living world.
Ever present in the celebration is pan de muerto, a staple that sits near marigolds, votive candles, tamales, and photos of dead loved ones all used to guide them home.
Preparing the bread ahead of its 9 a.m. re-stock is Gusto Bread on Fourth Street. They’ve been offering the bread since 2018, before the storefront existed.
For Arturo Enciso, head baker and co-founder behind the bakery, the pan de muerto tradition goes back to his father, who taught him about the holiday on their trips to Mexico City.
“[Offering pan de muerto] was something important, culturally, for us,” Enciso said. “Especially for me, my dad is from Mexico City so [the tradition] is very prominent there.”
Before the sweet bread makes it to the front of the store, the baking process at Gusto is lengthy—it can take two to three days.
“We use all sourdough for our breads and pastries,” Enciso said. “One is made with natural starter, so fermented sourdough, which is a lengthier process.”
A more traditional recipe takes about a day, Enciso noted.
“It’s an extra step,” the baker said about their pan de muerto. “But it’s definitely what we’re about at the bakery, trying to make more naturally fermented bread.”
Gusto offers a soft personal-sized bun made with organic California whole wheat, eggs, organic butter and masa madre (sourdough), as seen on their social media.
Gusto’s pan de muerto also features freshly ground toasted fennel and grated orange zest, topped off with fine sugar.
Much like the traditional pastry, Gusto’s pan de muerto is round and features two thick strips that go across the pastry reminiscent of bones.
“It can hold that symbolism of you putting it in an altar to remember your ancestors,” Enciso said. “As well as being able to enjoy it even as a seasonal pastry.”
At the bakery, a mix of people stop by—those who have never heard of pan de muerto and those who stop by specifically for it.
“We get people who had not seen something like this before, we’ve exposed it to them and just absolutely enjoy it,” Enciso said.
The seasonal pastry is available on a first-come-first-served basis from its morning re-stock until it sells out. Enciso noted that sell-out times vary, but they’ve had more than enough in the past week.
However, the Gusto team is expecting the last week of October to be busier than usual. The pastry will be available until Oct. 31.
“I’m definitely honored,” Enciso said of continuing the tradition at Gusto. “It feels very special that we can do this from my bakery and offer people a little bit of our cultural background.”
Gusto Bread is located at 2710 E 4th St. The bakery is open Wednesday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. For more information follow them on Instagram @gustobread.
