La Panadería offering new black pan de muerto

Zoom in: Bakers hand-burn the corn husks and mix the ash with sugar to make the black pan de muerto, symbolizing mourning. It also gives the bread a subtle smokiness.

• The filling is made in-house by slow-cooking sweet potatoes.

What they're saying: "Día de los Muertos is a centerpiece of our Cultura," José Cáceres, La Panadería co-founder, said in a statement. "Pan de Muerto honors our beloved ones that are no longer with us."

State of play: You can pre-order La Panadería's usual pan de muerto in family or mini size. But the black option is only available by ordering in person.

If you go: The popular San Antonio chain has four locations across the city.