Pan dulce came on the scene when the Spanish brought wheat, flour
and sugar to Mesoamerica, according to Chicano studies professor
Maria Herrera-Sobek. Credit: La Monarca/Natalie Woyshner.
Pan dulce, or sweet bread, has for decades been a staple of working-class Latino communities in Los Angeles. The breads can evoke a strong sense of nostalgia for both recent immigrants and those who were born and raised here. Contributor Audrey Ngo recalls her own family's memories while sampling some of LA’s best panaderias.