There’s no need to feel guilty for eating delicious sweets for breakfast, especially if it’s for a good cause.

For the past two Sundays, Amandine Bakeshop has hosted the Comadre Panaderia pop-up, which is donating all proceeds to victims of natural disasters in Puerto Rico, Mexico City and Oaxaca, Mexico. Head pastry chef Mariela Camacho, enlisted the help of friends and Dorothea Coffee to operate Comadre Panaderia, which translates to close friend (or godmother) bakery.

Mariela Camacho is the head baker for the Comadre Panaderia pop up at Amadine Bakeshop.

Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico this past September, destroying homes and leaving residents in dangerous situations. Many Puerto Ricans are still living without power or clean water.

Mexico City and Oaxaco also suffered from natural disaster in September. Several earthquakes devastated Mexico, destroying homes and infrastructure and displacing citizens. Hundreds were killed in this tragedy, and many more were left homeless. Millions of people were left without power. Schools were forced to close down and piles of rubble lined the streets.

Although the disasters are over, the struggle continues for those who have lost loved ones, their homes and their livelihoods. The process of rebuilding will be slow and expensive, and offering support to these communities, even from afar, can impact their redevelopment.

Last Sunday, many people visited the pop-up to support the cause. The pastries and sweets sat elegantly in the display case; an array of pan dulce and chocolates along with the brewing of coffee let off filled the small bakery with a sugary aroma.

The tables were lined with the dancing flames of candles displaying religious figures such as La Virgen De Guadalupe. The people behind the counter gave customers a brief explanation of the event, where the proceeds were going and distributed informational papers.

A latin cinnamon roll from Comadre Panaderia.

Of these papers, one of them described where the coffee came from. The batch on Sunday came from Carlos Angel Perez Pacheco, a member of a co-op coffee company in Oaxaca called the Sierra Mixteca producer association. This co-op practices organic farming and is dedicated to the wellbeing of the people, land and plants involved in the growing process. Carlos Angel’s highest plot, Unión y Suspiro, was the home of the rich and flavorful coffee beans infused into the pop-up’s coffee creations.

The menu included berry and chocolate conchas (Mexican sweet bread), cookies, cinnamon rolls, empanadas, croissants, sandwiches, and more. The drink choices included bebida, also known as a horchata latte. Bebida includes flavors of rice, almond, and cinnamon mixed with espresso to form a sweet and rich concoction.

As visitors enjoyed their tasty pastries, conversations sparked about the disasters that had occurred and how nice it was that the pop-up was supporting a worthy cause. Comadre Panaderia served as a community gathering space for tasty sweets and as legitimate means to support those affected by recent disasters, making it a distinctly satisfying treat.

Bailee may be reached at
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