With bread, as with most of the processed food we buy at supermarkets, it’s often the case that—whether out of convenience or lack of time—we could go our whole lives without knowing how it’s made, even though it’s an important part of our diet. Luckily, it’s never too late to learn to, as they say, “get your hands dirty.”
That is precisely the aim of the “Al pan, pan” workshop, which will be held on the afternoon of September 19 at the Plaza Mayor. The event will come to downtown Madrid thanks to ASEMAC ( the Spanish Association of the Bakery, Pastry, and Confectionery Industry) and 21 DISTRITOS, the cultural action program in the neighborhoods organized by the Madrid City Council’s Department of Culture.
Participants will have the opportunity to make bread with their own hands using flour, water, yeast, and salt, all of which will be provided to attendees free of charge. Those who wish to do so can finish baking the dough they prepare at home following the professionals’ instructions, and they’ll also receive freshly baked bread right there in the Plaza Mayor.
The event will take place in front of the iconic Casa de la Panadería, on whose ground floor the old public bakery was located during the 17th century —where bread was baked for the entire city using wheat from the pastures that once stood in what is now the town of Vallecas. The master bakers leading the workshop will also give a brief overview of the history of bread-making and traditional kneading techniques.
How to attend the traditional bread-making workshop in the Plaza Mayor
The “Al pan, pan” workshop is designed for people of all ages, and admission is completely free. The activity will take place in sessions lasting approximately 30 minutes each, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Saturday, September 19.
A maximum of 40 people can participate in each half-hour session on a first-come, first-served basis. In addition, the activity will include sign language interpretation.