Lonches de Guadalajara (Guadalajara Pork Sandwiches)

History & Origin

Lonches are the quintessential sandwich of Guadalajara, Jalisco, and represent a tapatío tradition dating to the early twentieth century. The name "lonche" comes from the English "lunch", adapted into colloquial Mexican Spanish. What sets the tapatío lonche apart is the birote salado, a crusty bread with a hard crust and compact crumb unique to Guadalajara. The birote was created by French baker Camille Pirotte during the French intervention in Mexico (1862-1867), and its name is a Mexicanisation of "Pirotte". The birote is harder and saltier than a French baguette, a result of Guadalajara's altitude and climate. The classic filling is cooked and sliced pork leg, drenched in an árbol chilli and tomato salsa, complemented with raw onion, grated radish and sometimes refried beans. The most famous lonche stalls are at the San Juan de Dios Market and near the Cathedral. They are eaten at any hour, especially as a light supper.