Pan Dulce Frontera Style

" La Frontera" that is what the Rio Grande Valley is often referred to as.  It simply means " the Borderlands" and there is an interesting culinary fusion that has occurred here. While this region's cuisine is not necessarily refined, it's some darn good eatin'. This entry will be part of a series on places to eat and noteworthy regional specialties. Today I visited La Reynera bakery...what a delightfully colorful array of yummy treats.


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Pan Dulce is a traditional treat consumed on almost a daily basis in Mexican homes. First, a bit of history on Mexico's famous sweet bread. Pan Dulce come from a European tradition of baking brought over from Spain. There was also a creative contribution of French baked goods which peaked in the early 19th Century during the dictatorship of Porfirio Diaz. Skilled Mexican bakers adopted French techniques to create new breads with colorful names. Today, Mexican bakers are among the most inventive. They are always adding to their repertoire and borrowing from other cultural influences. Today I saw glossy brown cupcakes in all their splendor; all in a row iced with their tuxedo shirt ruffles. These pay homage to the Hostess cupcakes of my Midwestern childhood. I hope you enjoy the dizzying array of Pan Dulce in my photographs as much as I did.