Who doesn't like Pandesal?
Pandesal is made of yeast, flour, sugar and salt. Recipes online look so easy enough to do so I leave it to the experts.
As pan de sal literally means bread of salt, there's not a taste of salt as there's only a pinch of it added. Nor sweet. Can anyone actually describe the taste of bread? The smell YES.
Only now have I learnt that it's Portuguese in origin, not Spanish.
Courtesy of Pan de Manila
As the staple bread in the Philippines, it is mostly eaten in the morning. Though, there will be instances where it can still be eaten at anytime of the day, as bakeries continue to do them the whole day.
Just with most bread, except French bread, it is soft. Personally, I like it toasted and a bit burnt as it gives a bit more of flavour. When younger, spreading it with margarine was the norm. Nowadays, the choices can be: different fruit jams, chocolate jams, nutella, cheese and would you believe some MILO? Yes, that's me. Either pandesal on its' own or with MILO. Lately the cheese pimiento.
As the stable bread in the morning, a lot of Filipinos no longer eat rice when having pandesal. Although they're small in size, few pieces can make one full. Or for snacks, pandesal sandwich is also possible. I once put longganisa with cheese pimiento together and it was alright. Kinda of taste like a cheese burger in a smaller bun.
Filipinos love their rice, maybe in the Philippines or abroad. Time will probably limit us Pinoys in having rice for breakfast, but without doubt, LUNCH will have rice in it. But when eating lomgganisa, is it hard to choose?
No, RICE is the perfect combination for longganisa. Especially when it's a VIGAN longganisa. Different provinces, different tastes.
There is a wheat pandesal, so for anyone on a diet, this is what they usually chose. Moringa pandesal, anyone?
Reminds anyone of home
I can only speak for myself, but there is something special when having newly baked PANDESAL, it makes you feel HOME.
As a child, waking-up with the newly baked smell of bread wafting the air was one great memory. Till now, it can take me back to those times, and with it my MOM.
Perhaps it can just be that when in many occasions when going abroad, there will be some in my luggage. Intended for my housemates and the kids, but come to think of it, perhaps I just want a bit of HOME with me.
For every Filipino, especially abroad, Pandesal reminds us of HOME.
INDEED.
Image was taken with my Samsung Galaxy S7.
Reference:
https://thedailyroar.com/culture/pan-de-sal-philippine-national-bread/