Today (Dec. 9) is National Pastry Day. That’s all well and good if you have a sweet tooth for bear claws or apple strudel, but if you are Latino, “pastry” is just a fancier way of saying “pan dulce.” No clear-minded Latino is walking into the neighborhood panaderia and ordering a Crêpes Suzette.
Unfortunately, a quick online search reveals that there is no such thing as a National Pan Dulce Day, so what’s a Latino to do—cry over their concha and cafecito? No, instead of shedding tears like you just watched the end of Coco, how about we do what pastry-eaters have been doing to the Latino culture for generations? Let’s just appropriate National Pastry Day.
Yes, from here on out, every Dec. 9, after this pandemic is behind us, of course, let’s head to our nearest panaderia—the best ones are usually named after the family that owns it—and pick out the tastiest orejas, cuernos, polvorones and cochinitos you can get your hands on. Then, take that delicious pan over to your grandma’s house, so she can let you know how much better her empanadas de camote would’ve turned out.