Page 29 - summer book

by Sherri Brody photo Joe Pier
No visit to San Felipe would be complete without sampling one of the many varieties
of tamales made by local residents. I personally had never tried one until I moved here,
and even then, I still wasn’t sure exactly what I was eating. Tamales have quickly become
one of my favorite go-to quick, cheap meals for any time of day. What is a tamale? It is
a traditional dish made of masa, a dough derived from ground corn, that can be stuffed
with various fillings such as pork, chicken, beef, beans, vegetables, cheese, and even
fruit like pineapple or guava. These delicious treats are most frequently wrapped in
corn husks, but in some locales they are wrapped in banana leaves. All are steamed
into delicious compact meals that you unwrap like a Christmas present to enjoy. My
friend Margarita makes them with pineapple or Mexican guava inside, as well as pork
and beef. She likes to add one whole unpitted green olive to each. I had to learn to look
for the olive to avoid a potential dental mishap!
The tamale has been around for centuries and even predates Mexican history;
historians believe that early Mesoamericans offered bundles of corn up to the gods as
sacrifices. Eaten by the Mayans, Incas, Aztecs and Toltecs, they eventually spread to
all of Latin America. A big part of the Mexican culture is the making and consumption of
tamales to celebrate Christmas. New Years, Day of the Dead, & other traditional fiestas.
To be invited to the Los Arcos
First Hand
home of Maurillia, one of
Observation
the tamale vendors at
El Dorado Ranch swap meet, is an honor. Her
casita is flanked by a flowering citrus tree and
the neighbor’s roosters crowing at odd hours. It
is the home for herself, her daughter, and several
grandchildren, who all welcomed us warmly with
a “Buenas tardes.” Maurillia ceremoniously pre-
pares close to a hundred tamales every Friday to sell at the swap meet on Saturday. The
entire process spans five hours and is daunting even to watch! As we entered the home, we
were enveloped by the aromas of Maurilla’s already-simmered chicken & pork loin. continues.