Tamales

The aroma of steaming tamales reminds me of my childhood and both of my grandmother’s kitchens during the Christmas season. Gathering with my family to make tamales is a cherished holiday tradition. It is a multi-generational gathering to make and freeze tamales to serve throughout the holidays. This gathering, called a tamalada, is where bundles of masa (corn-based dough) and pork filling are wrapped in a corn husk and steamed in large batches. Although the pork filling is the most common we also make tamales with fillings such as bean and cheese or cheese and jalapeños. The bundles are steamed until the masa is firm yet delicate, and the outer corn husk is removed before eating. My family’s tamaladas typically occur on a single day in the months between October and December. The day begins early in the morning and lasts into the evening. It’s a loud event filled with laughter and a lot of moving parts. Making tamales is labor intensive, but with many hands on board you can get the job done.