Chile: Bread and its Cultural Importance

"Pan" (Bread) as a Cornerstone to Chilean Culture

The soft, fresh-baked bread will hit you like a brick when you come to Chile. It's an essential part to each meal, and as a result, it is essential to the Chilean culture. Chile is the world's second largest consumer of bread, after Germany.

Bread as part of the culture in literature: "Lanchas en la Bahía" by Manuel Rojas describes a watchman that gets lonely and misses his family during the night. When the boy eats a piece of bread, he begins to feel especially homesick. "Hubo un instante en que dejé de comer e inclinando la cabeza sobre el pecho, próximo a llorar, quedé con los ojos fijos en el pedazo de pan que tenís entre los dedos, como si dudara en comérmelo..." The boy begins to cry as he eats a piece of bread. This passage shows the connection that he makes between bread and his family, and shows the importance of bread to the Chilean culture.

You will find many panaderías (bread stores) in Chile wherever you are. There are over 400 panaderías in the metropolitan area of Santiago alone. These stores sell various kinds of bread and many times also sell empanadas and sweets. The panadería market brings in about $2,000 million a year in Chile and employs 50 thousand people, according to a PUCV cultural book, "Encuentro con la Cultura Chilena."



Many families only buy pan batido (also called pan marraqueta), which is risen round bread, or pan hallulla, which is round bread that is not risen. Chileans sometimes eat four or five pieces of bread a day. Many times they eat bread with marmalade for breakfast, a piece of bread with lunch, bread with cheese or butter for "once" (teatime) and a piece of bread for "comida" (dinner).

Watch out. Most bread is made with "manteca" (butter/fat), which is what makes it so delicious, but also so fattening. If you're not careful, you'll leave Chile with a "Pan Belly" as I've heard some gringos call it. Try going for the brown flat bread because it is not made with manteca.

Also, enjoy it. I think anyone would agree with me when I say that Chilean bread is delicious. Try not to get hooked because the transition back to Wonder Bread won't be a pleasant one.

"Plata Pa Pan" by Chinoy