BILL ANALYSIS
Senate Research Center H.C.R. 98
79R6150 JTR-D By: Guillen (Zaffirini)
AUTHOR'S/SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
The colorful history of the Lone Star State is inextricably associated with the romance of cowboy culture, and among the many legacies of this proud heritage is the delicious flat bread known as pan de campo, or cowboy bread.
Relied on by early settlers and vaqueros to sustain themselves as they rode the range, pan de campo has transcended its humble origins to take a place of honor at such events as the Pan de Campo celebration that is sponsored annually by the San Diego Chamber of Commerce in Duval County.
With thousands of participants and spectators, the celebration includes such events as softball and volleyball tournaments, a parade and live Tejano music, and the pan de campo cook-off.
The chefs who make contemporary variations on pan de campo recognize that cowboy bread's appeal lies not only in its elegant simplicity but also in its role as a redolent reminder of the state's storied past and the vaqueros of South Texas.
Because the cowboys who introduced pan de campo to Texas had no access to conventional kitchens, the bread was prepared in small portable ovens, and it was this distinctive cooking method that gave pan de campo its characteristic texture and flavor.
Pan de campo enjoys a singular stature in Texas history and culture that is rivaled only by its undeniable appeal as a versatile and satisfying food, and it is only right and proper that this essential element of the state's greatness receive official recognition.
RESOLVED
That the 79th Legislature of the State of Texas hereby designate pan de campo the Official State Bread of Texas.