Ofrendas and recipes: How The Times celebrated Día de Muertos

Good morning, and welcome to the Essential California newsletter. De Los’ annual digital altar gives readers an opportunity to honor their loved ones. The L.A. Times launched its own digital altar in 2021, when public health restrictions related to the pandemic prevented many of Southern California’s in-person Day of the Dead events. “The idea was to build a communal space where readers could still have the experience of celebrating their loved ones in public, albeit online,” De Los wrote on this year’s altar. In their coverage of Día de Muertos, The Times Food section published various recipes, including Gusto Bread’s pan de muerto, and an essay by Briseño-González on how to build an altar.