Pan Dulce, or sweet bread, has long been the traditional afternoon snack in Mexican households.  Inspired by the French and Spanish who first introduced baked goods to the region, the indigenous people developed their own unique pieces, incorporating local ingredients and spices. Today there are roughly 2,000 varieties of pan dulce, but the quintissential one is the concha, named as such for its shape and design.  Many a family gathering, big or small, is known to start or end with sweet bread and a steaming cup of hot chocolate or coffee.