Pandesal Day in PH

Mga panadero, simulan niyo na magmasa ng tinapay.

Every year, World Bread Day is celebrated as an international observance to commemorate the creation of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in 1945. It aims to end hunger with its Latin motto as Fiat panis, which translates to “Let there be bread.”

The observance, initiated by the International Union of Bakers and Confectioners (UIBC), is dedicated to a food staple that has been around the world for about 30,000 years—bread.

Bread is usually made from wheat such as spelt, emmer, einkorn and kamut but it can also be baked using non-wheat ingredients including rye, barley, maize, oats, sorghum, millet and rice.

Since the dawn of agriculture, bread has had an important role in the lives of people. Not only is it a nutritional food but also a ritual element in some religions including Christianity and Judaism. There are also recipes that have been passed down from generation to generation as part of tradition. No matter where you’re from, bread is always a part of the food culture.

In the Philippines, a classic Filipino breakfast is not complete without a bag of pandesal. It is the most popular bread in the country. And to pay tribute to the Filipino favorite, World Pandesal Day is also celebrated every October 16 since it was launched in 2015 by the heritage and artisanal Kamuning Bakery Cafe.

As early as 6 in the morning, you would hear a loud horn from a vendor on a bike who’s selling stacks of pandesal. He would keep them warm in an insulated box as he roams the streets until these are sold out. At the same time, you would see people lining up outside the bakeries to buy freshly baked pandesal.

Although it’s not salty, its name originates from the Spanish word pan de sal which means salted bread. As it took over the streets of the Philippines, the style of baking pandesal changed to satisfy the Filipino taste. It became slightly sweet. Yet, still it is exceptionally soft and fluffy.

Covered with dusts of breadcrumbs, pandesal can be eaten on its own, dunked in coffee, filled with condensed milk or served on a plate with scrambled eggs and hotdogs on the side. Honestly, you can pair it with anything you want. Some people even prefer it with ketchup. What’s your favorite? Celebrate World Bread Day as World Pandesal Day!