Several Northeast Ohio’s Hispanic communities are preparing for next month’s El Día de Los Reyes Magos holiday with some traditional sweet treats.
El Día de los Reyes Magos, or Three Kings Day, is a Christian holiday that corresponds with the Epiphany and honors the three wise men who brought gifts after Jesus’ birth.
For many from Latin American countries, it's a religious holiday that's become an important cultural event. People from Mexico, Peru and Puerto Rico among others celebrate El Día de Reyes on January 6 and often celebrate with rosca de reyes, or kings cake, an oval-shaped sweet bread decorated with candied fruit called ate de membrillo, made from quince.
It’s meant to resemble a king’s crown.
La Plaza Supermarket on the West Side of Cleveland has been preparing for El Día de los Reyes Magos by taking orders for rosca de reyes for the past week. The dessert became available in the store on Thursday.
“It’s an excuse to still celebrate a good meal and having people, family together,” said Cristina Gonzalez, a manager at La Plaza.
Gonzalez said El Día de los Reyes Magos is one of the biggest holidays in some cultures.
“In some parts of Mexico,” she said. “It’s a big feast. Some people celebrate it even more than Christmas, so they go bigger. So, they’re expecting their gifts on the sixth.”
While the holiday isn’t as well known as other winter holidays amongst Northeast Ohioans, Gonzalez said she’s seen a rise in interest in the holiday from many of her customers who aren't Hispanic because of the rosca de reyes.
“They tried it, and they come back because it’s a unique bread,” Gonzalez said. “It’s between like vanilla, and then I found some orange in there. It’s kind of hard to describe perfectly, but the taste is just amazing.”
Gonzalez said the traditions for El Día de los Reyes Magos can vary from country to country and even from region to region within those countries.
In her family, which hails from Mexico, there’s a toy baked in the rosca de reyes resembling a baby Jesus, Gonzalez said. Whoever gets the slice with the toy has to make tamales for another get-together on February 2.
Gonzalez recommends serving rosca de reyes with hot cocoa.
