Tamal time!

For the past few years I've had an idle threat to teach some friends how to make tamales. Someone finally held me to it, so last week we gathered in my kitchen and made around 50 of them. Above, you see the chilies stuffed with cheese, waiting to be cradled in a tender bed of masa.



Here are the hojas we wrapped them in. It's funny that even though I have been making tamales with my family for the past 20 years or so, I mostly only prepare the masa on the hojas. A more experienced relative actually handles the rest of the process. When making them in my kitchen the other day and it finally came down to wrapping them up, I realized that I didn't really know what I was doing. Good thing for the internet!



Once in the pot, they were off and running.

Ultimately, they came out great! However, they are a lot of work and they take forever to make. This is why most folks only make them for holidays and special occasions. The tamal lady makes them because she has the time and she knows she can sell them to you for a nice profit. Hmm, maybe I should start taking orders.