NOT ALL BREAD IS CREATED EQUAL

It would be around 7:30 in the morning on every Saturday in Puerto Nuevo, Puerto Rico when my father and I would conduct our so necessary shopping excursions.  This was a well planned day. It had to be perfect timing; we had to know what type of bread we were going to purchase  so we could determine at what time it would be coming out of the oven.  We would have to choose from the closest bakery to the farthest and the type of bread desired that morning: “Pan de Agua”, “Pan Sobao or Pan de Manteca”, “Pan de anon or de Tetitas”, “Pan Dulce”, “Pan de Mallorca”, “Pan de Huevo”, or “Pan Artesanal”. After that, we would determine how many bakeries we would have to visit in order to buy the correct bread or pastries: EL CRUCERO, El Arte Europeo, La Escarduna, Pepin, La Ceiba, La Fancais, Los Cidrines, La Lucerna, La Gran Via, La Bombonera, or El Antiguo Bilbao.

      Just sitting in the Station wagon imagining the hot steamy bread that you could barely hold in your hands…… MMMMMM heaven…  How the butter gently…so gently melts, glistering, shining like a ray of sun,  not only covering the bread but also covering your hands; your face your t-shirt and oops… the seat of the car…. “Time to wake up and not make a mess” .  This is not just buying bread; there is a science to it.  As I stated before, “Not all bread is created equal”.  The questions of the day was what type of bread we wanted to buy; for example “Pan de Agua” (Water bread) was more like a good French baguette- it has a nice crust with a soft pillow like center.  You just had to remove one of the ends and so gently like a hamster start to eat the center without Dad noticing.  You would start pulling the beautiful clouds of bread with your finger until you reached the other side.  A masterfully hollowed out baguette; almost like a gigantic straw, a bazooka or a telescope from a pirate’s ship.  “Pan Sobao or Pan de Manteca”  is a bread so soft with a delicate crust.  It is edible from tip to tip and it has a survival span of two minutes; yes in about two minutes we were able to finish a pound of bread.  “Pan de anon or de Tetitas” this bread is a very complicated bread; mounds of small rolls all connected and baked.  It was imposible to hold without tearing out one of those rolls and eating it, and then you would have to tear off another one in order to even out the bread, and so forth.  First, this bread was mostly available in the town of Bayamon and it was sold by street vendors (Chicharoneros) who also sold the “Pan Dulce” sweet bread.  And to give it a weird twist they would also sell “Chicharon” pork cracklings; equivalent to morning bacon, it was salty, crunchy, did I say salty…not sure… and delicious.  Going to La Ceiba Bakery was a different story, you could find all of the other types of breads but the “Pan de Huevo” (Egg bread) or “Pan Artesanal” (artisan bread) was superb.  This was also the Castle of pastries “Quesitos”, Pastelillos de carne, Chorizo, jamon, pavo (cream cheese, beef, sausage, ham, turkey) ….and the selections never end.  Beautiful puff pastry filled with awesomeness.  Now the King of Morning breakfast breads… “Pan de Mallorca”. The best came from La Bombonera in Old San Juan or Pepin in the “Avenida Central” (central avenue).  Mallorcas, as I grew up calling them (in Mallorca Spain it is called “Ensaimada” and we call it bread from Mallorca), are a sweet, coiled enriched bread (similar to a brioche) that is served dusted with copious amounts of powdered sugar. The breads are best freshly baked and toasted with lots of butter, or (my favorite) filled with thick slices of baked ham or jamòn serrano and cheese. In Puerto Rican cafes and bakeries (and now you can find a strange version at Starbucks in the USA), the counter person will probably assume you don't want powdered sugar on your sandwich, but I urge you to insist that they give it to you. The combination of salty ham and sweet bread is sublime. Even better, have them press the sandwich for you before dusting with sugar.

      The most memorable way of buying bread was from the street vendor that would come around our neighborhood riding his bicycle.  He would have a big metal box attached to the back of his deluxe machine in which he would keep the hot piping bread.    He would heat bricks in the oven and place them in the bottom portion of the box in order to impart heat throughout the box; this way, keeping the bread hot and fresh for the clients.  You could hear as he was approaching a very catchy song that would say “ que pan … traigo el pan caliente…que pan … el que no lo coma se arrepiente … que pan…(the bread… I have hot bread …the bread .. If you don’t taste it you will be sorry … the bread…). No matter where you are from in this great big marble we call earth, bread in some form is the everyday staple you will find on the table from rich to poor it is one thing we have in common.  There is nothing better than to break bread with family and friends!

PAN DE AGUA

Prep Time: 2 hours, 30 minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes

Total Time: 2 hours, 65 minutes

Ingredients:

·         1 pack active dry yeast

·         1 tablespoon sugar

·         2 cups warm water

·         1 tablespoon salt

·         5 cups all purpose flour

·         Cornmeal or flour for dusting the baking board

·         2 egg whites

·         2 tablespoons of water

Preparation:

1.    In a large mixing bowl, mix together the yeast, sugar, and warm water.

2.    Cover the mixture and let stand for about twenty minutes. The yeast should form a foam on    the top.

3.    In a separate large mixing bowl, mix together the salt and flour.

4.    Mix the flour and yeast mixtures together a little bit at a time by adding the flour to the yeast one cup at a time.

5.    As you add the flour, the dough will start to form. When all the flour is added, knead the           dough for about 10 to 15 minutes until it is elastic and no longer sticky.

6.    Grease a big bowl. You can use the one you mixed the yeast or dough in.

7.    Place the ball of kneaded dough into the bowl, cover, and let rise for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. The       dough should double in size.

8.    When the dough is ready, flour a work area. Place the dough on it and separate into two equal             portions.

9.    Knead the dough portions into two separate long loaves, about 12 to 14 inches.

10.  Using a large baking board or cookie sheet that will hold both loaves of bread, sprinkle some   cornmeal or flour. Cornmeal works better, but flour will do.

11.  Place the loaves on the board and using a sharp knife place 3 to 4 slashes along the top of the            loaves.

12.  In a bowl, mix together the egg whites and water. Brush the mixture on top of the loaves of    bread.

13.  Place the loaves on the center rack of a cold oven then place a shallow baking pan on the rack             below the loaves. Fill the shallow pan with 1 cup boiling water.

14.  Wait 10 minutes and then turn the oven on to 400 degrees and let bake for 35 minutes. The   internal temperature of the loaves should be 200 degrees. The loaves should be golden and a             little crusty.

15.  Serve warm.

Tip: This bread is made without fat, so it is best if consumed on the day it is baked. It will get stale rather quickly. If you wish to save the second loaf until the next day, be sure to cover it so that it will not dry out and re-warm it in the microwave for a few seconds.

Serves: Makes two loaves of Puerto Rican water bread.

PAN DE MANTECA-O-SOBAO
5 lbs. flour
1 1/2 oz. salt
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup shortening
2 liters water
1/2 oz. dry yeast

Directions
Preheat oven on 340º F to 350º F.

Mix water, sugar, salt and shortening for 2 or 3 minutes.

In a heavy-duty mixer, add flour and yeast and knead the dough for 15 minutes.

Divide the dough in 5 equal portions and shape them into loaves.
Place loaves on baking sheets and allow rising until they are doubled.
Bake until golden.

Tips
The loaves are done when you tap them and it makes a hollow sound.

Pan de Mallorca

Ingredients

6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) butter
1 package active dry yeast
1/4 cup lukewarm water
1/4 cup sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
3 egg yolks
1/2 cup milk
2-1/2 to 3 cups all-purpose flour
flour for dusting work surface
butter to grease bowl and pan
confectioners' sugar for dusting

Procedure

1. Melt the butter and let it cool slightly. In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast in the water. Add the sugar, salt, egg yolks, milk, 4 tablespoons of the cooled butter, and 2-1/2 cups of the flour. Mix well.
2. Lightly flour a work surface. Turn out the dough and knead for 5 minutes. Add enough of the remaining flour so that the dough is not sticky.
3. Grease a bowl with butter. Pur the dough in it and cover with plastic wrap. Let the dough rise in a warm place for 45 minutes.
4. Grease a 9-inch square baking pan. Set aside. Punch the dough down. Knead it on a lightly floured surface into a rectangle about 18x9 inches. Brush with the remaining melted butter. Roll up the dough from one short end and cut it into 9 slices; trim the ends to make them neat. Arrange the slices in the baking pan. Cover and let rise for 40 minutes.
5. Preheat the oven to 375 F. Bake the rolls for 30 minutes, or until lightly browned. Let the rolls cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Transfer to a platter and dust with confectioners' sugar.

YUCA (CASAVE) CHEESE BREAD

Quick, Easy, Delicious Yuca bread
3 eggs
1 pound yuca flour (Goya)
1 cup milk
¼ cup oil
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
In a medium bowl beat eggs slightly, Beat in flour, milk, oil, salt, and cheese until just smooth; being careful not to overbeat.

Form 2-3 tablespoons of the batter at a time into balls with greased hands and set on a lightly greased baking sheet. Bake until puffed and golden brown, 20-25 minutes. Serve hot.

* Hint . . . to make equal size balls, purchase a 2 oz. scooper and use as a measure. Buy a stainless steel scooper with easy squeeze mechanisms let you scoop everything from melon balls to cookie dough, mashed potatoes, and ice cream too. These are available at fine department stores that have nice kitchen gadget sections or online