Our Day of the Dead

Every year when the air starts getting crisp and days become shorter Dia de los Muertos seems to arrive sooner than I am prepared for and I always want to do some special in honor of this reverent Holiday which I have grown to cherish.

This year we decided to collaborate with our friends Farra & Juan Miron who have started a wonderful foodie project called 'La Mesita sin Nombre' (the little table without a name) where they host wonderful dinner parties once a month that are food and beer pairings that feature farm to table local food and local unique beer selections, usually in their lovely home in North Park, San Diego.

We supplied all of the 'ofrenda' (altar) decor complete with the vibrant orange marigolds and fuchsia coxcomb as well as the papel picados. The ofrenda turned out amazing, Farra & Lucera make an incredible arch complete with handmade paper flowers combined with the fresh marigolds. The arch perfectly framed a piece of artwork by Farra & Juan's friend Emilia of a charming Dia de los Muertos wedding couple, it was the perfect centerpiece. The ofrenda was adorned with momentos from loved ones passed including photos, dolls, notes, candles, and special items in memory of all of the loved ones gone before us. We made sure everyone learned about this wonderful holiday so that they could appreciate the celebration even more.

As always, Farra & Juan outdid themselves both with the gorgeous spread and the delicioso comida! The margaritas welcomed us in gorgeous glass dispensers and beautiful flowers adorned the tables amongst the wide variety of home-made salsas y postres (desserts).

The 'piece de resistance' and star of the show was the 'Mole Magnifico' - a true labor of love that took hours of collaborative work. Everyone participated in stirring the very large cazuela of mole on the hot stove all night long (including Charles and I). The mole did not disappoint and I have to admit that I helped myself to seconds and thirds and gave myself a self-induced stomach ache by the end of the evening.

We look forward to continuing to honor this wonderful holiday and invite you to learn more about it and participate in our celebration next year... stay tuned.

-Judy Compton