Bread For The Dead France

For the last 10 years or so, Halloween has been mildly embraced by a certain number of French people, and it's not surprising to see pumpkin-shaped brioche and other Halloween-inspired creations at boulangeries and pastry shops around Paris at this time of year. But the holiday that is always celebrated here (as in many parts of the western, Christian world) is All Saint's Day on November 1, and yesterday at the boulangerie I noticed a little basket of traditional Corsican Pain des morts that is eaten to mark the holiday...

Like Pan de Muertos, it is dark and sweet, enriched with milk and butter and flavored with things like nuts, raisins and citrus -- bread that was meant to be scattered on the tombs of the dead, who came back to nourish themselves on it.

Recipe: Pain des Morts (in French)

Recipe: Pan de Muertos (in English)

- Kristin Hohenadel blogging from Paris. She can be reached at kristin @ apartmenttherapy . com

Image: Papilles et Pupilles