San Miguel de Allende ~Alfeñiques

During the few days before Dia de los Muertos (day of the dead) there is a market with about 2 dozen stalls selling these hand made sugar figures, to be placed on the altars. (You'll see those in tomorrow's post.) Some of the vendors have made these alfeñiques for over 40 years--it's quite an art form! 

Clearly, I'm fascinated by them. Teeny, tiny, plates of enchiladas, rice and beans, donuts and hamburgers.

sugar coffins

"Like life, sweet but fragile."

fruit baskets

little cardboard coffins

Here are the ones I bought, you can see how small they are compared to the coin.

One morning, I was at the market, and it was filled with dozens of little school kids, pesos in hand, purchasing their own alfeniques. They were all so cute!