Today it’s November 1st. Despite the globalisation nowadays, when it seems the whole world has the same traditions and culture, Halloween seems not to have penetratred in Spain and it’s not widely celebrated. However, what we do celebrate, more as a tribute rather than a celebration, is All Saints’ Day, every November 1st. It’s the day of the year when the largest amount of flowers are sold (to take them to the cemetery for your relatives and loved ones who have passed away) and traditionally the drama Don Juan Tenorio is performed at theatres of every Spanish town at night (most remarkably at Alcalá de Henares, Madrid). But what we love the most about All Saints’ Day is the chance to have some of the most delicious sweets of the Spanish gastronomy: buñuelos and huesos de santo.
What are the huesos de santo? Its name gives it away: Saint’s bones. Aha! They are the most traditional sweets eaten during All Saints’ Day and the days before and after it, essential in every patisserie of Spain in late October and early November. The huesos de santo are cylindrical and made of marzipan, filled with a custard made with egg yolk. Now you understand their name: they really look like bones!
These sweets started being made in the early 17th century in Madrid, for All Saints’ Day, as autumn was the time of the almond harvest. Although they are mainly typical of central Spain, nowadays they are widely spread through the whole Spain. And we are loving them more and more! Buen provecho!
