Three Kings Day Rosca de Reyes Guadalajara Mexico 500 meters long

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Christmas, as you might expect, is a major big deal in Mexico and the season stretches all the way to January 6–aka Three Kings Day (Día de Reyes). In some parts of the country this is when the children get their presents not on that tired old December 25.

Three Kings Day is also celebrated with its own special baked good, a bready/cakey/tasty thing called a rosca de reyes. A particularly massive and popular bakery in Mexico City called Ideal actually shuts down production of all other goodies in the days leading up to January 6 and focuses exclusively on churning out tens of thousands of rosco de reyes cakes which are duly gobbled up by the masses.

In Guadalajara the Colegio Gastronomico Internacional charges its budding chefs with the task of baking a rosco de reyes that masures 500 meters (more than a quarter of a mile) long. This we had to see. We have to admit we were a bit disappointed to discover that it’s not one continuous 500 meter long cake, but a series of 1 meter long sections lined up end to end. But it tasted great and went perfectly with the mugs of hot chocolate they were also handing.

Part of the 500 meter long rosco de reyes baked every year by chefs-in-training at the Colegio Gastronomic Internacional in Guadalajara.

A warning about the good old rosco de reyes, however. Each and every one is loaded with white plastic representations of the baby Jesus (inserted after baking so they don’t melt). If your piece of the cake contains one, you could break a tooth plus you’re responsible for throwing a party on February 2 at which you must supply tamales for everyone.

Have we mentioned how much this country loves any old excuse to throw a party?