Local bakery prepares for Día de los Reyes with sweet baked tradition

It’s January 6th — also known as El Día de los Reyes (Three King’s Day). Many Latino families here in the valley and around the world celebrate the day with a special baking tradition called Rosca de Reyes. 

News Channel 3’s Madison Weil spoke with employees at Mi Tierra Bakery in Coachella working overtime to ensure they have enough. 

Rosca de Reyes translates to “King’s Wreath,” and describes the design and shape of the sweet bread. 

“After you make the dough, you put it on the table, you then have to decorate it. It takes awhile to bake it because it’s a big bread,” explained Caesar Andrade, an employee at Mi Tierra Bakery. 

The wreath-shaped bread is baked with a few tiny figurines of baby Jesus hidden in the dough and is only eaten on January 6th. Families serve the sliced bread and the person to find a baby figurine would typically host a party on February 2nd, providing tamales for everyone invited. 

While parties are off the table this year due to local health restrictions, Mi Tierra bakery says they’re hoping the tradition still brings a smile to individual families during difficult times. 

“People really love it. We put in our hard work to make the best quality bread in town and I know that we do...because I even love it,” added Andrade. 

Día de los Reyes, or Three King’s Day, celebrates the day it is believed that the three wise men came to visit baby Jesus in the manger. 

The bright colored dried fruit placed on top symbolizes the gems on the crowns of the three kings. The bread is then coated with a sweet glaze and baked until golden brown.  

Employees at Mi Tierra Bakery baked more than a thousand wreaths this year to keep up with demand.