PAN DULCE. WHAT DO YOU CALL THAT?

PAN DULCE!
(MEXICAN PASTRY)
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Throughout the United States many people awaken each morning with one thing in mind: Pan Dulce!  The wide variety of pastries known collectively as Pan Dulce (literally “sweet bread.”) can be found, freshly baked, on sale in panaderias (bakeries ) from Los Angeles, California to Brooklyn, New York,  from San Antonio, Texas  to Chicago, Illinois and from Yakima, Washington to Tucson, Arizona. In some panaderias, the customer uses metal tongs to select his or her particular preference in pan dulce, while at other bakeries, the behind-the-counter servers will take the order and place the selections in a bag for the customer. Pan dulce can also be bought pre-packaged in cellophane at supermarkets and corner stores. Mexican pan dulce dates back to the Spanish conquest, when Spaniards introduced their pastry traditions to the New World. Later Mexican bakers incorporated indigenous ingredients and created new recipes.  In the 1860s, the French intervention into Mexico brought with it the influence of French pastry-making. Today, pan dulce is a creative amalgam of all of these baking styles. The result is literally hundreds of variations on a theme. LATINOPIA wondered what do you call this and that sweet bread? Here are names for some of the most common varieties of Mexican pan dulce. So next time you buy pan dulce, instead of saying, “give me one of those,” you’ll be able to say,  “give me a conchita blanca, a polvoron or ojos de buey.”

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Conchita Blanca (White Conch Shell)

Conchita Chilindrina (Trifle Conch Shell)

Conchita Tomate (Tomato Conch Shell)

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Cuernitos (Little Horns)

Nino Embuelto (Wrapped Up Child)

Empanada de Pina (Pinapple turnover)

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Chamucos

Rieles de Pina y Fresa (Pinapple & Strawberry Rails)

Elotes (Corn Cobs)

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Conos (Cones)

Mantecadas (Muffins)

Danish Ochos (Danish Eights)

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Galleta Grajea (Sprinkles Cookie)

Galleta de Tres Colores (Three-colored Cookie)

Galleta Sandia (Watermelon Cookie)

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Cochitos (Little Pigs)

Ojos de Buey (Ox Eyes)

Muffin de Zanahoria (Carrot Muffin)

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Payasos (Clowns)

Galleta Happy Face (Happy Face Cookie)

Novias (Brides)

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Polvoron (Dusters)

Polvoron Rojo (Red Duster)

Polvoron Amarillo (Yellow Duster)

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COMING SOON: MORE PAN DULCE SELECTIONS!