This is my first article, so I might as well write about something non-controversial, those will all come later! Might as well start off with a very sweet article...

Anyway, one thing folks should know about me, is that I am a pastry addict. Put me into a bakery, I am in Heaven -- simple as that. From time to time, my personal king of pastries tends to change. Back in 2014, jelly and cream-filled doughnuts were my paths to sweet salvation. In 2015, cakes made me feel of thankful for living.

Yep...I ate all of this, circa. 2015

Two years later, jelly and cream-filled doughnuts have been dethroned by pan dulce (pronounced pan-dool-seh), which is literally Spanish for "sweet bread." Pan dulce is one of the most popular sweet creations of Mexican and Latin American cuisine.

One should be aware that pan dulce is not a term that refers to a single type of pastry, but rather a collection of different types. Heck, Mexican-style doughnuts and cornbread are considered pan dulce. There are more than dozens of types and varieties of pan dulce, but the most common you will see is the concha (lit. "conch shell.") These cute little pastries received their name due to their appearance resembling seashells.

Trust me, dip 'em in coffee or drink coffee with 'em, and I'll meet you in sweet Heaven!

Now, a special type of pan dulce is pan de muerto (lit. "bread of the dead,") this type of pan dulce is made around the during the Day of the Dead celebration in Mexico, which is celebrated on Nov. 1 and Nov. 2. These are large loaves, adorned with shapes of bones on the top.

Bought this big bad sugary monster....only $3..literally....

As bad as the Spanish treatment of the natives of Latin America were one thing I really got to thank them for is their introduction of dough and bread. Back in my original country of birth, the Spanish introduction of bread gave us pan de sal (lit. "salt bread"...despite being sweet in reality.)

Something that I should equally be thankful for is the fact that I live in an area where are lots of panaderias (Mexican and Spanish bakeries) around where I can purchase these. To add the icing on the cake (both seriously and pun intended), each piece costs sixty cents at most.

Where do my food addictions come from? One word describes that best: curiosity. Want to know how I got so addicted to pan dulce? Well, a long time ago in a state far, far away, Texas to be exact, is when I got my first taste of pan dulce. I only could remember the sugary sweetness, could not remember much else as I was a very young child at the time.

2007 is when my interest in Mexican culture began to mushroom once more, probably because my home country, the Philippines, was in a huge boxing rivalry, better refer to it as a "war" with Mexico. I literally went to Google Images...searched up "pan dulce," saw all the images of the delicious conchas and got trolled.

Finally, I had my first taste in 2008. It died off from there I have to admit, but there was one particular incident, in 2016, perhaps the ignition to the flame that re-started my entire addiction to pan dulce.

One late September day, I needed to do some studying, or vegetating so I went to my university and along Peregrine Path, I noticed a little party going on. Mexican music was being played with colorful tables were laid out. Apparently, it was Mexican Independence Day hosted by the school's Spanish Club, and they happened to be serving pan dulce along with juice and coffee.

Servers cutting pan dulce at a Mexican Independence Day event in my school, Sept.16, 2016

To be totally honest, I had never thought of eating pan dulce and drinking coffee with it. At first, the idea just never seemed appetizing to me, but apparently, it was commonly complimented with coffee, or so as I read online and evidently with how it was served at this particular Spanish Club event.

I literally decided, without too much thinking, "I should actually try this," literally. I did not even think about how it may taste, about if I may or may not like it, literally I just went and did it.

I'm glad I did.My definition of a relaxing Friday night is a walk in the park, with the autumn breeze blowing, with a cup of hot coffee in one hand and a bag of pan dulce in the other.

So folks...there you have it, that's me and my random pan dulce addiction! Try it, with hot coffee. I personally prefer Dunkin Donuts coffee with extra cream and sugar. Happy eating!

I warn you all though, it is rather messy due to the sugar getting everywhere. If you're a person who doesn't like getting a sugary mess everywhere, make some kind of preparation such as bringing wipes.

If you folks want to know some local panaderias in the area, there's La Central Panaderia in East Chicago (usually where I go), Santa Maria Bakery and Cueramaro GTO Bakery both in Hammond.

See you all in sweet Heaven!