This first issue is extra special as it is the result of a timely collision between two seemingly unrelated and parallel conversations. It also tells the origin story of Lost in Panslation itself.
To go back to the true beginning, I need to introduce Dulce. I met Dulce Ximena Beltran Ojeda (and breathe) a few weeks into university. Our initial friendship was built on her ability to cook and my ability to eat (and our mutual sadness that our friend Grace returned to Australia in Term 2…but that’s another story). She taught me everything I know about avocados. “You should only eat them when they’re ripe”, she said. Oh and she also has an irrational fear of birds.
But for the purpose of this story, the important thing to note is that her name is Dulce. From this title, you will know that I made pan dulce or conchas. If you are pertinent, you will have also picked up on the fact that my surname is Pan. Now put those two together…still following?
At this point, you may be wondering what that parallel conversation I alluded to was about? Who was it with?
Enter Haley from Michigan. She is the one that actually submitted the recipe. Unlike Dulce, she has not lectured me on the perfect avocado ripeness. However, I do know that she is one of the first people to follow my Instagram (outside of friends I heckled). She sent consistent words of encouragement in my direction, even when the bake was going terribly wrong. And for that I am grateful.
I promise not all future issues will have this much ranty context from me but let me off just this once please and thank you. Now, adhering to the usual format I prescribed myself, let’s hear from Dulce’s mum Magdalena (an avid Kitchen Pan supporter from Day 1). She shared a little description which is helpful to those that have never tasted one of these sweet treats.
English translation provided by Dulce below.
La concha mexicana es una especie de pan brioche de masa esponjosa con una cubierta de masa dulce de galleta, lo que le da un contraste único de sabor y textura. Es una fusion de panaderia europea y mexicana que se remonta a tiempos de la conquista de América.
Las conchas mexicanas son deliciosas para cerrar un desayuno, acompañadas de un buen café de olla o una taza de chocolate mexicano calientito.
Nota curiosa: en Japón existe una hermana de la concha mexicana de origen ibérico, muy similar en apariencia pero distinta en texturas, se le conoce como ‘melonpan’.
The Mexican Concha is a brioche-style fluffy bun with a crackled sugar coating, which gives it a unique contrast in texture and taste. It's a fusion of European and Mexican baking which links back to the conquest of America.
They are the perfect way to end breakfast, accompanied by some great coffee or Mexican hot chocolate. Fun fact: there's a sibling to the concha in Japan, very similar in appearance but differing in textures, that's called 'melonpan'.
NB: Dulce mentioned that Magdalena added the extra fact as she thought I’d be amused by the potential pun in ‘melonpan’. Yes Magdalena, if you’re reading this, I am thoroughly amused, thank you.
Now turning to the recipe contributor, a few words from Haley:
I've tasted a concha/pan dulce once, when my roommate brought some home about a year and a half ago. In late May, he brought out his copy of Pan and said: "Since you speak a little bit of Spanish, you should try some of these bread recipes. You should make conchas!" The idea intrigued me like the texture of the treat's topping did back in 2018, but sat towards the end of a long list of baked goods I had planned to make in the next few weeks.
While chatting with Xinyue, I shared the cover of Pan (initially because it reminded me of her penchant for Pan puns). The language of the book's recipes seemed like they'd be easy enough to translate with limited knowledge of Spanish, so I shared some photos. After a week or so, there was a progress video of enriched dough in my inbox and photos of beautiful, colorful pastries on my Instagram feed that reminded me of the pastry I ate before a long day of work almost two autumns ago.
And finally, my short bake review in the form of sweet, sweet poetry (sorry not sorry):
grainy photos, will Google Translate recognise me
yes, i see you
but columns are not my friend and cross references to other pages are the devil’s work
wheat flour? do you just mean all-purpose? i don’t understand you
wet wet wet dough, why won’t you rise dough, it asked for levadura en polvo, i put in the baking powder
it’s in the oven now, breathe woman
breath. WAIT is the topping sliding off
“just let it cool” “relax”
crumb dense. like my soul. I call dulce for salvation
“checked with mum, indeed levadura en polvo is yeast”
fuck.
I realise at this point you likely did not sign up to read poetry. Also, that 90% of this issue is catered to introductions. I promise the next issue will be a more comprehensive recipe review. But then again, much like the promise of a nice, airy, dough, occasionally the expectation and reality will not align.