PROFILES bread and pastries. It was this valuable experience that taught him the importance of flavor; breads must be slightly sweet, but not overly so. The bolillos must be baked to perfection so the crust is not too hard and the inside is not too chewy. The bakers must be careful not to under-proof the donas or the fried pastries will not have good volume and may turn out overly hard. "What is different here is that we have the bread and pastries that actually taste the way they are supposed to taste like," Mr. Acosta says. "As long as the taste and quality is good every time, that is what our customers care about." Owned by the Rascon family, El Rancho Bell has operated for 12 years at the Bell Road location, which is situated in the northern part of the city. Alberto Gamez of El Rancho says that having experienced bakers like Jesus Acosta and Gabriel Gomez on staff is a key component to their continued success. 44 MARCH 16 | PANADERIA