What Capirotada means
Capirotada is a Mexican sweet name of Spanish origin meaning "hooded dish". It comes from Spanish capirote (a tall pointed hood) + -ada. It is pronounced kah-pee-roh-TAH-dah, and it is most associated with the whole country.
Covarrubias' 1611 Spanish dictionary explains it as a dish that covers another 'like a capirote'. The Lenten bread pudding kept the name, and the hood is now read as the cone worn by Holy Week penitents.
This is a site about what Mexican words mean, so there is no recipe here. For the name itself: From colonial convent sweets like ate and jamoncillo to the chili-and-tamarind candies of the modern corner shop. Alegría means "joy", borrachito means "little drunk one", and muégano's name is a mystery even to Mexicans.
