The Bakers · Craftsmanship · A Craft Passed Down

The moment I stepped inside the bakery, I forgot about the city outside. Rows of Roscones de Reyes covered the worktables as bakers carefully decorated each one by hand. Trays moved steadily between the worktables and the ovens, and everyone seemed completely absorbed in the task before them.

I had come to photograph the making of Roscones de Reyes. Instead, I found rhythm.

This wasn't simply another bakery. Founded in 1855 by Cayetano Muñoz, a candlemaker who also crafted sweets and chocolates using honey from local beehives, Confitería Muñoz has been part of Teruel for nearly two centuries. Through five generations of the same family, each has added its own chapter while carefully preserving the traditions that came before.

No one seemed to be giving instructions. One baker brushed each cake with egg wash while another carefully arranged the colorful candied fruit. Fresh trays rolled past as others emerged from the ovens. Every movement felt instinctive—the result of countless mornings spent working side by side. Nothing felt rushed.

Watching them work, I realized that baking isn't simply about making pastries. It's about repetition, patience, and the quiet confidence that comes from mastering the same craft over many years.

As I followed the process from one table to the next with my camera, I began to understand that these cakes represented far more than a seasonal tradition. Within days, they would sit on family tables across Teruel, becoming part of Three Kings' Day celebrations and childhood memories that would be repeated year after year.

Standing inside the bakery, I wasn't simply photographing people making Roscones. I was photographing tradition taking shape by hand.

Living in Spain has taught me that many traditions begin long before families gather to celebrate. They begin in places like this, where skilled hands quietly prepare the moments that later become part of a community's shared memories.