What to Eat in Mexico - Pambazo, Much More Than Just a Sandwich

Among the rich and diverse delicacies of Mexican cuisine, the Pambazo may not be the first one to come to mind. It may not even be the second, or the tenth... in fact, many people are not even aware of this culinary specialty, that is just as defining for Mexican food as tamales or enchiladas. Okay, probably not! The truth is, that among the numerous tasty dishes in Mexico the Pambazo has a bit of a hard time to come to shine. All the more reason for this post.

A Sandwich or a Torta?

Actually, the pambazo is neither. In Mexico, one of the defining characteristics of a sandwich is that it must be made with that soft square-sliced bread that many people in industrial society call "bread". The much more delicious alternative using a bread-roll would be called torta, but that is still a far cry from the pambazo. In fact, a true pambazo requires a special kind of roll: the pan bazo, which originates from "pan bajo" implying the lower quality of flour used for it, and thus its lower social standing. In other words, food for the lower strata, offering itself ideally for street food.

A Great Snack, not only for Independence Day

As you can see, in my seven years of growing my What to Eat in Mexico post collection (where I admittedly haven't even posted in years), I didn't make as much as a mention of the pambazo. But this year, it became a central feature of the family festivities for Independence Day last weekend. Certainly, it can always happen that the most typical dish - in this case pozole - will become somewhat boring after a while. Bring in the pambazo to save the day!

Simple Preparation

Making pambazo is pretty straight forward. In fact, it is so simple that it may actually justify why the dish is not among the top rated Mexican foods. First you fry up some potatoes with chorizo and fill it into the pambazo roll cut in half. On the outside you cover the roll with a chili sauce made of the guajillo chile, and give it a quick fry. Then you open it up again, and cover the filling with whatever you like: refried beans, shredded lettuce, sliced tomatoes, diced onion, salsa, cream, and cheese. And yeah, that's about it. The final result is actually quite a tasty snack, beating any kind of sandwich or torta. Still, it's basically what it is: a rather simple dish, made with the most common ingredients, ideal for festivals or street snack.

More Deliciousness from Mexico

Now, if you have gotten interested in all the highly exquisite examples of Mexican cooking I have been eluding to, I recommend visiting my What to Eat in Mexico series. It is by no means complete, but there are some really nice examples of the most typical - and sometimes a bit surprising - foods you will have to try when in Mexico. Provecho!