What: Colombia’s savory baked breads are absolute heaven when they’re fresh and hot. These three share some or all of the same basic ingredients—cassava starch/yuca flour, eggs, corn flour or cornmeal, salty white cheese.
Pan de yuca is usually lighter in color than the others and either round or horseshoe-shaped; airy pan de bono and almojábana are bagel-shaped (with holes in the middle) or round balls, depending on what part of the country you are in. All three breads have rich flavor imparted by cheese (almojábana) or starchy yucca and cheese (pan de yuca, pan de bono); they’re often gooey inside when hot. Just try to pass by a bakery when you smell these babies coming out of the oven!
Where: Literally any Colombian bakery will have these breads. (Our pic is from Cartagena’s La Esquina del Pan de Bono, where the transcendent namesake bread came straight out of the oven: Calle de San Agustin Chiquita & Calle del Porvenir, map.)
Good to know: Due to their use of yuca flour, these breads are naturally gluten-free, for those with dietary restrictions.
