If I think back to comfort food, one of the first things that comes to mind is a cafecito calientito. Even better? With canela.

It’s really the easiest thing to prepare – just boil a cinnamon stick in a water and use that same water to prepare your coffee as usual (coffee pot or a la Keurig style).  Drinking this special brew reminds me of my trips to Durango with apa and welo, how it is called cafe de olla in some places and was sweetened with piloncillo. I’m not sure why I haven’t tried using piloncillo, now that I think about it.

I’ve been told that cinnamon tea is good for stress and headaches, so I’m sure this is an added bonus to the comfort part. Funny thing is, all my memories of drinking coffee in Mexico are with the spicy taste of canela. And the pan dulce!

Pan dulce is a delicacy that translates into a tradition in my family.

Visitors stopping by? Panecito run. Novela finale? Panecito run. Domingo? Panecito run. It’s cold outside? Panecito run. Funeral bound? Panecito run.

Thinking about it, maybe this post should have included the pan dulce as comfort food too. Only because it is. And us from the valley, we’re vicious when it comes to critiquing our sweet bread. For one, it MUST be fresh. And there MUST be an assortment, because Lord knows all of us have different tastes. Even our grocery stores (cough *HEB*) carry an assortment of panecito.

I’ve seen a variety of panaderías popping up all over the Sharyland area. My goal? To have a critique of every single one!!!