Pan Dulce or “sweet bread” has been circulating in Central and South America for over 200 years. After the grisly centuries of the conquistadors, different walks of life learned to coexist in a bountiful part of the world. In the early 20th century, the dictator Porfirio Díaz connected his bakers with French bakers and what was produced was a new world of pastries with colorful names and appearances. Today there are between 1,500 types of bread made in Central and South America. As the history of this area of the world was written to the present day, these baked goodies seemed to endure through the tests of time, bringing comfort to kids and families as they made their way to contribute to the American Dream we all love today.
That American Dream is on full display at a new spot in Williston to fill your belly for breakfast and it’s The Galvan’s Bakery. This family-operated pastry nook bakes a menagerie of sweet treats and even a couple spicy ones like their most popular item the “jalapeño cheese”, a bread pastry stuffed with cream cheese and jalapeños, egg washed and sprinkled in sesame seeds. “Some guys come in and buy 25 at a time on Sundays,” said Alberto Galvan, the father and owner of The Galvan’s. His wife, son and his nephew join him in this family affair until the boys Max and Adrienne go back to school. His wife Juany, an experienced cook herself, was excited to show off the freshly baked bread rolls and colorful conchas on display in the cases up front.
Bringing his idea for his bakery from Idaho Falls, Alberto remarked on how welcoming the citizens of Williston have been to his family and how excited everyone seems to be about the new breakfast spot. “We are very busy. We lost track of time and it’s already a month next Friday [July 14].” The quaint little panadería will soon have a drive up window so customers can pick up pastries on the fly. Alberto hasn’t quite decided what to do when his helpful young lads return to their education. As a family-owned and -operated business, Alberto and Juany pride themselves in keeping it family operated but he hasn’t dismissed hiring out quite yet. As popular as the bakery has been in the last three weeks, the Galvan’s have been hesitant to even advertise due to being sold out quite often.
Their Facebook page became popular quickly as word spread like wildfire but customers are always greeted with a smile and regulars have their favorites in hand, hot and fresh in seconds.
Alberto and Juany, along with the house staples, make whatever pastries their creative hearts desire. This particular morning, Alberto was making a square sugared puff pastry filled with pineapple, similar to a tart. He also makes traditional treats like marranitos, gingerbread in the shape of a cute little pig, empanadas filled with fruit and cuerons, similar to croissants. The Galvan’s Bakery is located at 1508 Second Avenue West and is only closed on Mondays.