10/20/2026
A little flower shopping around Austin todayโฆ but these arenโt just any flowers. ๐ผ๐งก
Weโre preparing for our Dining with the Ancestors โ Dรญa de los Mu***os Dinner on November 1st & 2nd, and I stopped by a local Austin nursery to pick up some beautiful Mexican marigolds!
Marigolds, or cempasรบchil, have a really special place in Mexican Dรญa de los Mu***os traditions. Their vibrant orange and golden colors, along with their distinctive aroma, are believed to help guide the spirits of loved ones back to the altars and celebrations prepared in their honor.
Iโve always loved how plants can carry so much cultural history and meaning beyond their culinary uses.
And of courseโฆ I couldnโt resist finding a way to bring these flowers into our elixir program. ๐งช
Mexican marigold (Tagetes erecta) is also an interesting botanical because its flowers contain:
๐ผ Lutein & zeaxanthin โ carotenoid pigments studied for their role in supporting eye health.
๐ฟ Antioxidant compounds โ including flavonoids and carotenoids that help protect cells from oxidative stress.
๐งก Aromatic compounds โ responsible for the flowerโs distinctive scent and part of what makes marigolds so recognizable.
Weโre planning to incorporate Mexican marigold into one of our handcrafted elixir offerings for the dinner, bringing another layer of connection between the ingredients, the traditions, and the people weโre gathering to remember.
I love getting to explore these little details as we build out our menus. Every ingredient gives us another opportunity to learn something and share it with the people weโre feeding.
Looking forward to sharing this experience with yaโll on November 1st & 2nd. ๐ผ๐ฏ๏ธ
***os