Like he does every January 5, Fermin Perez is gearing himself up for a long night of baking. With his team of five, he’ll be making 500 loaves of Rosca de Reyes over the course of 24 hours for the early morning crowd he anticipates across Amigos Bakery’s five locations.
“Everybody waits all year for this day,” the 35-year-old baker told Billy Penn. “[So I’m] very busy, all day and night.”
The occasion is Día de Reyes, otherwise known as Three Kings’ Day, or Epiphany. Celebrated on January 6 — although many Eastern Christian followers of the Julian calendar observe the day on the 19th — it commemorates the visit of the Magi, or Three Kings, to the Christ Child before his revelation to the rest of the world.
In Mexico, where the Magi supplant Santa Claus in terms of holiday duties, figurines of the three kings are added to household nativity scenes on the eve of Día de Reyes, and gifts supposedly brought by them are opened by children the following morning. The treat that traditionally marks the day is Rosca de Reyes, usually divided and shared in the morning with family and friends over hot chocolate.
Translating to “king’s wreath,” it’s the story of the flight of the holy family in sweet bread form: the circular shape symbolizes a crown, its jewels represented by the toppings of candied fruit traditionally colored purple, green, and gold, for justice, faith, and power — attributes shared by the magi. The inch-long plastic figurine baked into the bread signifies baby Jesus, hiding from King Herod’s persecution.
Finding baby Jesus in your slice of rosca brings a year of prosperity, along with the more dubious honor of hosting the Día de la Candelaria, or Candelmas, party on February 2 — and, more importantly, providing tamales for all those present.
It can be a mixed blessing, “depending on how many tamales you have to make,” Perez said, which “can be a lot.” He’s quietly hoping he catches a break this year after finding baby Jesus the previous two.
The tradition is widespread, celebrated in different variations worldwide. In Germany, an almond is hidden in the bread while in France, where the custom is said to have started, there’s been an evolution from lima bean to figurine, sometimes religious or, more recently, stemming from pop culture.
The U.S. equivalent, more popular along the Gulf Coast and with ties to Mardi Gras, also includes a figurine, although frequently sold alongside the cake to avoid choking hazard liabilities.
Perez said he often has to remember to mention the baked-in baby to customers unfamiliar with the tradition but curious about the sweet bread. He recalled once sharing a slice of Rosca de Reyes with an American neighbor, and later returning home to find the man angrily wondering whether he had been the victim of a prank or a kitchen accident.
Previously, Perez produced his roscas at Amigos Bakery on 9th Street, which he opened in 2016 two years after launching his flagship store on 12th and Fitzgerald. Two Jersey locations followed, and then one at 4905 N 5th Street, his largest bakery yet and where the bulk of this year’s breads will be made. They’ll be distributed throughout the day to other branches of the bakery owned by him and his brothers Martin and Alberto.
The roscas, which can be ordered over the phone up until the afternoon of the 5th, are available in large (27 x 14, $45), medium (22 x 14, $35), and small (9 x 14, $22) sheets. To accommodate larger families, additional baby Jesus figurines can be added, up to 7 in the large wreath for about $5 more. Amigos’ roscas are topped with citron and with baked-in fig slices.
Recalling receiving an order last year for 20 large roscas — and a lot of hot chocolate — from a local high school, Perez said he’s happy to see the tradition expand to a growing number of people.
His favorite celebration of the year, Perez said it’s grown in significance for him since moving to the US from his hometown Puebla in 2005, and one he now enjoys sharing with his children, aged 13, 9 and 4.
“I explain to them, this is where we come from, this is what we do,” he said. “It’s a tradition I want to keep going.”
Amigos Bakery | various locations | (267) 534-2909
