For many Christians around the world, the Feast of the Epiphany is observed on January 6th, commemorating the revelation of Jesus to the Wise Men from the East, also known as the Magi, or “Los Reyes Magos” in Spanish (The King Magi). Although they are only mentioned in one book in the Bible (The Gospel of Matthew), and there is no specification of how many they were, they are traditionally depicted as a group of three, and in many cases, not only rich in knowledge, but bestowed with the title of “kings”. In Mexico, it is traditional to bake a bread in the shape of a ring and decorate it with crystallized fruit and strips of sugary pastry; it is usually formed into a large oval (see photo below), but to avoid repetition, last year I also made three miniature versions, resembling crowns for the three kings, as seen in the photo above. For a much more detailed history of this holiday, directions, photos and printable recipes, please visit my post Epiphany Day (2021).
This year I will not be baking any Epiphany bread, as I am still recovering from a mild injury that kept me out of commission for a few days. On December 31 in the morning, I was loading the dish washer, got distracted admiring my new wall chalkboard (part of my Xmas presents), and forgot the dishwasher door was still open, tripped over it and landed on my right hand, bounced over on my face and chipped a tooth! Fortunately no nerves were damaged, a prompt ice treatment of both spots kept the swelling at bay to some extent, and Advil™ helped with the pain. I was trying to be brazen, but my loving husband and two daughters did not let me lift a finger until today, the first day I can put some pressure on my right hand fingers; I have an appointment with the dentist this afternoon, as well, so everything should be going back to normal soon.
My Slice of Mexico 
Get well soon – que te mejores!
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¡Gracias, Rebecca!
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Hope your recovery completely. In Portugal I’d come across a bread studded with raisins and crystallized fruits called (in translation) the bread of kings. It wasn’t anywhere close to Epiphany, but I wonder if it has anything in common with this tradition.
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Thank you for the good wishes! If you had that bread of kings anytime between New Year’s day and Ash Wednesday (around mid to late February) it probably was an iteration of Epiphany bread. This type of breads and cakes have evolved differently around the world, even the Mardi Gras King Cake in New Orleans has a common background.
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It was outside that time window, but it completely fits your description. So I guess I was just lucky to come across it out of time.
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Happy Three Kings Day! Your Epiphany breads look delicious!
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Thank you!
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