EL PASO, Texas (KFOX14/CBS4) — On Jan. 6, people celebrate “Epiphany,” and Mata’s fruit store is making fresh, warm Rosca de Reyes as part of the tradition.
The store, managed by Jesús Arreola, has been crafting roscas every year since 2000.
They make nearly 3,000 roscas for the celebration, baking them from 6 a.m. to midnight only from Jan. 2 to Jan. 6.
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Arreola, who has worked for the Mata’s family for 12 years, emphasized the use of fresh ingredients in their roscas.
“We use fresh oranges, we grind them, and that goes into the Rosca de Reyes dough,” he said, highlighting what makes their rosca unique.
The dough is made with eggs, sugar, and natural orange, while the decoration includes dried fruits, candied citron, figs, and paste.
Arreola explained the tradition: “If you get the baby, you have to provide the tamales on February 2nd—that’s part of our tradition.” He added, “I think it’s an important part of our culture, something very fundamental, especially because of family togetherness. We have to encourage family bonding.”
The Baby Jesus figure hidden inside represents the birth of Jesus, and the rosca itself symbolizes God’s infinite love.
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