The sweet, vanilla-scented air hits you before you even open the door at La Purisima Bakery in Glendale, where the humble concha reigns supreme among an array of Mexican pastry royalty.
This unassuming blue and white building with its cheerful mural of baked goods has become a pilgrimage site for bread enthusiasts throughout Arizona, some driving hours just to secure a box of these shell-patterned sweet rolls.
The parking lot tells the story – license plates from Tucson, Flagstaff, and even the occasional California visitor, all drawn by the siren call of perfectly executed pan dulce.
You might wonder what could possibly inspire such devotion to a simple sweet bread…