Dear Worried,
Worry no more! You seem to be a very pleasant person from your posts. I am sure that you will have a very successful trip. If you want to be ultra refined, use the phrase "Disculpame" or excuse me/forgive me whenever you feel you've committed a gaffe, or when you feel you are interrupting someone. This is cherished in Spain as elsewhere, because it shows that you care and are cognizant about the well being of others. A smile is always a lovely thing to wear.
Buen Viaje,
Booklady

JasMadrid,
I hope that you were not a blond when you asked for Bimbo bread!

JasMadrid writes: When you ask for pan in Spain you don't get French bread or Italian bread, you get Spanish bread! At the panaderia you can get it in several forms: pistola, for example, about 20cm long individual, (or for bocadillos) or a 40cm long, 10cm diameter pan (I avoid using the term 'loaf,' because it isn't really a loaf of bread; it's just pan).

That's what is 'regular' bread in Spain.

I don't understand what you mean when you refer to 'regular' bread: regular bread from where?? Something like Wonder bread??

You could ask for pan de molde and you would probably get a loaf of bread, unsliced or sliced.

I am fluent in Spanish and in more than 40-years of visiting Spain (about twice yearly) I have never heard of Pan Bimbo!

Anita (AKA worriedaboutspain): Spanish ladies tend to be more Cariñosa than Americans. When your hostess greets you with un abrazo you should respond with kisses to both cheeks.

Also: when you get a group of Spanish ladies in a sobremesa (i.e., gathered around a table) they may all be talking at the same time. Don't be afraid to 'jump in there' and express yourself. They will love you for it!

Eddie,

"Pan Bimbo" is "Wonder Bread." Just as Americans use the brand name "wonder" to refer to the sliced sandwich bread in packages, Spaniards use the brand name "bimbo" to refer to their version of this type of bread. "Bimbo" is the brand name.

I would be disappointed if anyone went to Spain and ate "pan Bimbo" with all of the lovely fresh breads you can find in a panaderia.

marilisa

Eddie, you have been missing out big time

I love Bimbo, I can't help it, and I always have some when I visit Spain.

Miche and Agomor, didn't we get through a loaf or two sitting on a bench in Segovia? I remember being pretty hungry.



It's obviously full of preservatives as it stays soft and lovely for days .. but I don't care

Sorry, back on topic .. it's probably not good manners to squeeze and mould the aformentioned Bimbo into balls, however tempting it may be (not that I would of course!).

Jo

I don't know where Bimbo Bakery company is based out of, but their products are on the shelves here in Phoenix,Arizona in the Hispanic areas. Of course it is sold in Mexico as well. I must say that I was surprised to see that word myself, but no more surprised than a Spanish speaking person would be to see a car by the name of NOVA. Bimbo Bakery makes not only bread, but also packaged pasteries as well. Sold on the shelf next to Wonder Bread, Holsum and all their product line.

Eddie, please excuse my mistake about "french bread" and "regular bread". To tell you the truth when writing my post I had to stop and think for a few seconds how you would call in english what I was trying to say. Obviously I chose the wrong option.

However, I don't know how fluent you are in spanish, but not having ever heard about "pan bimbo" is almost impossible.

In Mexico the situation is exactly the same. Bimbo was the only producer of this type of bread for many years. So when Wonder came to Mexico, we still went to the store and ask for "pan Bimbo". Someone told me that the proper name for this kind of bread is "pan de caja" and that Bimbo was just a brand. Anyway, I think I will always call it pan Bimbo .

It would be interesting to know how they call other things in Spain. For example in Mexico we usually ask for Kleenex not for "tissues".

Jabch, here we also say kleenex usually. By the way, we don't say "pan de caja" but "pan de molde".

I just looked up "pan de caja" on the Diccionario de la Real Academia (that includes "americanismos") and it doesn't exist. So I was told wrong, it is "pan de molde"! Thanks for the observation JasMadrid.

I've gotten a little confused with this....so i can go into a bakery and ask for pan Bimbo and they won't look at me like I've grown an extra eye?