MEXICAN BOLILLOS, CRUSTY OVAL ROLLS…

so we all know about the French Baguette right? The lightness, the crust, the holes, the slightly sour/sweet.. the crackle, snap, pop of tearing off the first bite.. But I have to make the case for the MEXICAN BOLILLO~YEP.. I MAKE NO APOLOGIES HERE. I can also make the case that the bolillo might be the perfect bread at about “right place, right time, right mood” than anything else.. Case in point:

Some of you may know that I work as a Physical Therapist Assistant as a day job and get to work with Hispanics in the Salinas Valley. I love this work… oh yes I do. One of the best parts of my day is dashing into one of the many Mexican markets and shmoozing with people in the store while I shop. it s a major mood elevator… you cannot help but feel better after you come out of the market. You got the colorful pinatas hanging from the ceiling, you got mini wood statues of Virgin Mary’s sitting atop the lettuce displays, you got the radio beaming out ads for a faith healer that will cure all that ails you.. depression, impotence, bad credit, loss of home, and then back to the Mariachi music.. heavy on the trombone and accordion and aching violins and booming bass male harmonies telling of forsaken love….and then you got your bolillos.. always the bolillos… and if you time it just right…you have been hit, struck, intoxicated by the aroma of these lovely little oval shapes coming straight out of the oven and I defy you to have any resistance against this beautiful doughy package… and yes there is a reason they have lasted for centuries and centuries and centuries.. the perfect chemistry of cornstarch, instant yeast, white flour, water and LARD! the Mexican equivalent of wonder bread I am sure BUT.. maybe its the shape, maybe its the culture, maybe its the warmth.. get yourself a smear of mantequilla,,, some avocado and there is your avocado toast you hipsters you.. you who think you invented this avocado toast????? Nope… once again.. I call your bluff. These little crusty oval balls of white dough are the real deal and I will step back from my sourdough/ancient grain/slow ferment/ today and take a nod to these perfect addictive fast rolls… they are perfection for what they set out to do and that is no small order.