Sweet Little ‘Salt Breads’

A popular bread in the Philippines is pan de sal (salt bread), which is slightly sweet, rather than salty, light in texture and baked in rolls, not loaves. Often the rolls are used for sandwiches made with meats cooked adobo style. They are also eaten at breakfast and at the afternoon meryenda along with cheese and other snacks.

Here, pan de sal is available at Philippine groceries and bakeries such as V’Valerio’s Family Bakeshop. This shop makes three styles of pan de sal : regular, egg and whole-wheat. Fresh and hot when you buy them, the rolls are ready to eat, and they can also be stored in the freezer until needed. Use them for dinner rolls, for sandwiches, or cut them in half, butter and toast them, then add any favorite topping such as jam or peanut butter.

Pan de sal, $1.40 per sack (contains 1 dozen rolls), at V’Valerio’s Family Bakeshop, 4627B Santa Monica Blvd. (in Hollywood Plaza), Los Angeles, (323) 662-6110.