Porto’s Bakery

BEHIND PORTO’S, CALIFORNIA’S LEGENDARY CUBAN BAKERY: A FAMILY AND THEIR AMERICAN DREAM

The story starts with a mother, her 3 children, and an underground home bakery in communist Cuba

By Crystal Shi

At porto’s bakery in Buena Park, California, before the pandemic, lines routinely wound through the 25,000-square-foot space, wrapped around the building, and continued down the street.

“On a regular day, we [served] 100 people in 10 minutes,” said Betty Porto. She runs the family business with her siblings, Raul Jr. and Margarita.

Since Rosa Porto, their late mother, opened the first Porto’s in 1976, the beloved Cuban bakery has wooed locals and visitors alike with flaky guava and cream cheese pastries, fluffy-crisp deep-fried potato balls, and hefty Cubano sandwiches. Today, the multimillion-dollar enterprise includes five locations in Southern California, with a sixth in the works. Its story, however, starts in communist Cuba.

Secret Beginnings

When Cuba fell to communism, as punishmentforrequestingsafepassage to the United States, Rosa was fired from her office manager job and barred from employment,and her husband, Raul Sr., was sent to a forced labor camp for eight years.

Left to fend for herself and her young children, Rosa, a talented baker, started selling cakes out of her home to neighbors and friends. Since private businesses were illegal, ingredients had to be bought on the black market or brought by clients, who paid in government rations. When the secret police came knocking, the community banded together to hide Rosa’s equipment.

In 1971, the Portos finally immigrated to Los Angeles. “[Rosa] already had clients waiting for her,” Betty said. In their tiny Echo Park

(L–R) Margarita, Raul Jr., and Beatriz “Betty” Porto as children.

The signature potato balls are stuffed with Cuban ground beef and deep-fried to perfection.

Cakes are immaculately decorated and sold for every occasion.

PORTO’S BAKERY & CAFE

Locations:

Glendale, Burbank, Downey, West Covina, and Buena Park, Calif.

Hours:

Open Monday–Thursday from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., Friday–Sunday from 6:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Must-Orders:

Cheese Rolls and Potato Balls Nationwide shipping available at Store.PortosBakery.com apartment, “we grew up listening to her baking.”

Raul Jr., who slept on a sofa bed a thin wall away from the kitchen, fell asleep to the sound of whisking. During the day, Betty and Margarita’s beds were covered with plastic to use for cooling cakes.

In 1976, Rosa opened a 300square-foot shop on Sunset Boulevard. She relocated to Glendale six years later; from there, the business only grew.

A Family Legacy

Rosa died in 2019, at age 89, but her legacy lives on. The growing menu at Porto’s remains anchored by her recipes. Everything is still made from scratch, and the family insists on using the highest-quality ingredients while keeping prices low.

Rosa Porto

with her husband, Raul Sr., grew Porto’s from her humble home kitchen to a thriving business.

Through the pandemic, pivoting to curbside pickup and expanding Porto’s Bake at Home, a nationwide shipping service, helped keep them afloat. So did their loyal following.

Porto’s hardly advertises; word of mouth has long been its most powerful tool. Often it passes along family lines: Betty recalls kids whose parents were married with a Porto’s cake returning to the bakery for their own wedding. Once, she said, “I was a marshal in a parade and the people wanted me to throw potato balls at them.”

The reason for their popularity is clear to her. Upon trying their first potato ball, “the reaction I get from young people is, ‘Oh my god, this tastes like something that my grandmother made in her kitchen,’” she said. “They can taste the love.”

Epoch Booklist Are there books you’d recommend? We’d love to hear from you. Let us know at features@epochtimes.com

RECOMMENDED READING

This week, we explore a lighthearted autobiography, the power of habits, and a classic Civil War novel.

NONFICTION

‘Stops Along the Way: A Catholic Soul, a Conservative Heart, an Irish Temper, and a Love of Life’ By L. Brent Bozell III

Brent Bozell’s Excellent Adventure

If you’re tired of today’s news headlines, Bozell’s book offers a lighthearted respite and a look at a bygone time in America. The founder of media watchdog Media Research Center, Bozell recounts his childhood on a farm and his many adventures through life so far.

POST HILL PRESS, 2021, 224 PAGES

‘The Art of Patience: Seeking the Snow Leopard in Tibet’ By Sylvain Tesson

Watching and Waiting

Adventuring in the wilderness isn’t new to French author Sylvain Tesson. He has ridden across Central Asia on horseback and traveled the Himalayas by foot. An accident in 2014 leaves him physically and psychologically challenged. What will revive his spirit? It turns out to be a journey to Tibet in search of the elusive snow leopard. Traveling in a small group, including noted wildlife photographer Vincent Munier, Tesson embraces a frigid yet fateful environment and an encounter that requires steadfast silence.

PENGUIN PRESS, 2021, 195 PAGES

‘The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business’ By Charles Duhigg

The Science of Habits

Duhigg’s book points to a Duke University study that found that “more than 40 percent of the actions people performed each day weren’t actual decisions, but habits.”

These elements of life that operate on autopilot can, in fact, have a powerful influence on our lives. If we learn to manage them with intention, we can become more effective in accomplishing our goals.

This profound read makes a strong case for giving greater attention to the seemingly mindless minutiae we engage daily

FICTION

‘The End of the Affair’ By Graham Greene

Love, Hate, and Mystery

Novelist Maurice Bendrix carries on an adulterous love affair with Sarah Miles, the wife of a British civil servant. When she leaves him, Bendrix is convinced she’s seeing another man, hires a private detective, and is eventually stunned to learn why she abandoned him. In what he does best, Greene explores the tangled pathways of the heart, the meaning of love, and the mysteries behind the curtain of everyday reality.

PENGUIN CLASSICS, 2004, 192 PAGES

HISTORY

‘1776’ By David McCullough

A Pivotal Year

Drama, adventure, and military intrigue make McCullough’s book, much of it recounting the travails of George Washington, Nathanael Greene, and Henry Knox during that tumultuous year, a page-turner. Given the odds faced by the vastly outnumbered patriot troops, it’s impossible to not pause to consider the miracle of America’s independence.

SIMON & SCHUSTER, 2006, 386 PAGES

CLASSICS

‘The Red Badge of Courage’ By Stephen Crane

Gods of War

Filled with dreams of glory, Union private Henry Fleming goes into battle, runs away, and eventually rejoins his unit feeling a coward. In the next fight, Henry carries the colors, helps lead a charge, and regains what he considers his lost manhood. Praised for its realism— Crane interviewed many Civil War soldiers before writing his novel—“The Red Badge of Courage” continues to raise questions in its readers about courage and fear. Both teens and adults should find enjoyment and food for thought in this great American novel.

FOR KIDS

‘Dangerous Journey’ By Oliver Hunkin

The Road to the Celestial City

This retelling of “The Pilgrim’s Progress” and a search for salvation features John Bunyan’s original words and Alan Perry’s lavish illustrations. A great read-aloud. One caveat: Some of the pictures may frighten young children.

EERDMANS BOOKS, 1985, 126 PAGES

‘A Street Through Time’ By Annie Millard, Illus. by Steve Noon

One Street, 12,000 Years

This striking picture book presents, with stunning detail and impressive simplicity, a panoramic view of a street along a river and the changes over time. Beginning with the Stone Age, it advances through different ages up till the modern age.

Ian Kane

is a U.S. Army veteran, filmmaker, and author. He enjoys the great outdoors and volunteering.

Epoch Watchlist

MOVIE REVIEWS

This week, we suggest a fantastic anime as well as a couple of films about resilient families dealing with adversity together.

NEW RELEASE

‘Belle’ (2022)

High schooler Suzu (Kaho Nakamura) is grieving the loss of her mother. To escape her episodes of depression, she crosses over into a digital world and becomes her popular alter ego, Belle. However, her perfect virtual world is soon thrown into turmoil when certain nefarious forces arrive on the scene.

Simply put, this film is an emotional powerhouse. With marvelous voice acting, sumptuous animation, and a riveting storyline that has to do with the human soul, this is a fine example of what animated films can aspire to be.

ANIME | ADVENTURE | DRAMA Release Date:

Jan. 14, 2022

Director:

Mamoru Hosoda

Starring:

Kaho Nakamura, Ryo Narita, Shota Sometani

Running Time:

2 hours, 1 minute

MPAA Rating:

PG

Where to Watch:

Theaters

ROUSING FAMILY DRAMA

‘How Green Was My Valley’

(1941)

In a Welsh mining village at the turn of the 20th century, life is a challenge. But the Morgans have strong familial bonds. When the village is threatened by the mine’s owner, they must take desperate measures.

This classic is filled with memorable characters and beautiful scenery. But what’s most memorable is its message of hope despite facing some incredibly tough odds.

DRAMA | FAMILY Release Date:

Oct. 28, 1941

Director:

John Ford

Starring:

Walter Pidgeon, Maureen O’Hara, Anna Lee

Running Time:

1 hour, 58 minutes

Not Rated Where to Watch:

Watch TCM, Vudu, DirectTV

FAMILY PICK

‘October Sky’

(1999)

Homer Hickam (Jake Gyllenhaal) is a teenager growing up in a mining town in the 1950s. He’s expected to follow in his father’s footsteps and work the mines. But when he watches the launch of a satellite, he becomes obsessed with building his own. In this quest, he and his like-minded friends will face many challenges.

With a fantastic cast that portrays believable characters (it’s based on a real-life story), this film has a mix of excitement, disappointment, humor, hope, and beautiful oldies tunes that will keep your toes tapping.

BIOGRAPHY | DRAMA | FAMILY Release Date:

Feb 19, 1999

Director:

Joe Johnson

Starring:

Jake Gyllenhaal, Chris Cooper, Laura Dern

Running Time:

1 hour, 48 minutes MPAA Rating: PG

Where to Watch:

Vudu, Redbox, DirectTV

TOP ACTION THRILLER ‘Jack Reacher’

(2012)

When former military sniper James Barr (Joseph Sikora) is jailed for killing five people in a quiet Midwestern city, he asks for ex-Army MP Officer Jack Reacher (Tom Cruise). However, Jack knows Barr from Iraq and wants to find him guilty. But as Jack digs deeper into the case, he begins to suspect that things aren’t as they seem. This is an increasingly rare type of action thriller—full of mystery and intrigue while being light on gratuitous violence. It’s also a very wellcrafted film.

ACTION | THRILLER Release Date:

Dec 21, 2012

Director:

Christopher McQuarrie

Starring:

Tom Cruise, Rosamund Pike, Richard Jenkins

Running Time:

2 hours, 10 minutes

MPAA Rating:

PG-13

Where to Watch:

Redbox, Hulu, Epix