I grew up in Berwyn, Illinois, which was a Czechoslovakian enclave long ago, when I was a lad. That…read moremeans there was an excellent bakery on nearly every corner. Our family never ate store‑bought bread, or commercially packaged bakery. It didn't matter which bakery you went to; the quality was always fantastic.
Such sets a high water mark that is difficult to beat.
In the late '80s, I worked at a bank in the middle of a Latino neighborhood. In discussion with a local resident about food, he indicated to me, if I've never been to a Mexican bakery, I ain't seen nothing yet. I picked up that gauntlet, visited the recommended West side bakery, and have been a fan of Mexican bakeries ever since.
It's strange because every Mexican bakery I've ever been to looks the same inside. There are wooden racks, floor to ceiling, with all the different pastries, rolls, cookies, buns, and etc. lurking there. At the front door you grab a plastic tray, and a pair of metal tongs. You then scan the racks, taking out what you choose, and piling them on the tray. If you're lucky, there will be a small sign telling you exactly what that pastry is. More often, not. I forgot to say, if the sign is there, it's usually in Spanish. Hope you're up on your Español.
The good news is you could probably pick out stuff with your eyes closed and be happy. Mexican pastries aren't as sweet-forward as a European‑style bakery, like Danishes, Long Johns, Coffee Cakes, and Bismarcks. Mexican pastries also don't look like European‑style bakery, either. Be prepared. Happy to say though, a cookie is a cookie is a cookie. My favorites are the empanada‑looking things, stuffed with guava, cheese, cream, strawberries, and raspberries. Some are glazed over the top, others aren't. They are terrific with a cup of strong coffee. You'll be in heaven if you're like me and love to dunk.
Get an assortment and explore. There are also different styles of breads and buns worth a look. If you've ever had a torta at a Mexican restaurant, you've probably looked at the roll and thought a regular ham sandwich would be really good on it. You'll find those rolls at every Mexican bakery.
After you're done making your selection, you take your tray up to the counter, where you'll likely encounter a pleasant woman who doesn't speak much English, but she'll be able to give you your total in English if you ask. However, you might be late with your "gracias" because you'll be figuring out that Mexican bakery is indeed a really good bargain. Handmade, homemade excellence at a great price.
I've usually had to go into the neighborhoods to find a great Mexican bakery, but Cinco de Mayo here is smack dab in the middle of downtown Aurora, on a spacious corner lot with great parking. They also seem to have a larger selection than some of the other local Mexican bakeries I've been to. It's really a pleasant experience, although it might be a bit intimidating at the start. American bakeries aren't self‑service like this. So grab your tray, grab your tongs, and load up.
If you're like me, you won't be able to resist grabbing something out of the bag on the way home...
