Today as I was driving down the main drag in Del Rio...Veterans Memorial Blvd...I spotted a car parked by a pop-up tent canopy with a fold-up table and two large coolers on top. I must confess that I have been on the lookout for it since there is a lady who makes delicious tamales and sells them during the holidays.
I quickly turned on the next street and headed back. I bought a dozen chicken and a dozen pork tamales. They were nice and warm and had recently been made. Her son was selling them this morning at $10.00 a dozen. They are not like the ones they sell at Stripes or HEB...but big ones like one would make at home for their family if they knew how.
I ate one of each and then froze the rest so I would not be tempted to overindulge...:-(
We were expecting a gray and rainy morning but it did not materialize. We had a pleasant and sunny day. The low was 37 with a high of 70 degrees.
Good night. May you all have Terlingua Dreams.
Saying of the Day
Now you are stocked up with tamales, for a while. I had one once and id no care for it, everyone seems to like maybe this one was different was hoping to try one again time day,
ReplyDeleteI sure am stocked up and glad I was able to find this lady or in this case her son.
DeleteTamales are like other things it depends on who makes them, if they have experience and what they are made of. My mother and her side of the family do not care for meat or any hot spices. They prefer those made of beans, raisins and fruit...that to me is NOT a TAMAL (singular for tamales).
My late father and I preferred the ones made of meat with lots of hot sauce. With you being in Canada I suppose tamales properly made are hard to come by.
Have never seen them here actually tried them once at a market in Louisiana , not sure what was in it though. Mat and hot sauce sounds like it would be goo though.
DeleteLouisiana tamales? No, George that is like hot sauce from New York City...like the commercial!
DeleteI hope you will get to try a real one. I am surprised you were not offered one when you stayed in the desert southwest.
Tamales are one of my favorite things in the whole world! It's not Christmas without tamales. I was here several years b4 I met my friend Lilly and her family. And every year at this time She brings a dozen. She makes the best I have ever had.
ReplyDeleteTen dollars a dozen is a great price. I would pay more and gladly. Folks up here don't know about tamales for the most part. Also don't like spicy food, which I do, since I am part Texan and part Cajun. Jajaja
I am glad to hear you are trying to keep to your diet. It must be hard to do when you are in Mexican food heaven down there. I tried a new restaurant here but Lilly has ruined me for anyone else. I had to ask for jalapenos and salsa and the waitress looked surprised.
Alright, Ms. Penny, you have redeemed yourself after not liking menudo...jajaja! Though I do understand how that would be an acquired taste for some. Neither George nor Rob like it either so you are in good company.
DeleteWhen I was eight years old we spent our first Christmas in Mexico City with my maternal side of the family. I will always remember it as a magical time since they had traditions I had never heard of before like Posadas, breaking piñatas (back then they were made of clay which could hurt you), Ponche ( a sweet Mexican drink made from different fruits).
Back then not everyone had a television set so Santa Claus was not as well known as he is now and few people had Christmas trees. However, even the most humble homes had Nacimientos and Pesebres which is a Nativity Scene in English. While Santa did not come to leave presents the Three Wise Men did on January 6th.
I am glad Lilly has taught you what real Mexican food tastes like. While I like Texas tamales my favorites are Oaxacan tamales wrapped in banana leaves but those are hard to come by in the States.
No, it has not been easy sticking to this diet but I have no choice. I can just picture the surprised look in your waitress or waiters face when you ordered more jalapeños and hot sauce. :D
70 degrees and fresh tamales, Merry Christmas to you!! I'd be happy to see the sun...
ReplyDeleteI bought gas for $2.99 yesterday!
I could have not asked for a better day Rob, I lucked out on both counts.
Delete$2.99 is a bit pricey but you are WAY UP there! I spotted $2.149 a gallon at Stripes yesterday will need to fill up before it goes up.
Hope you get to see the sun soon and a Merry Christmas to you as well.
How do you reheat those frozen tamales?
ReplyDeleteI only know the way Mom did it and my way (the lazy way). First the tamales need be thawed for either of the three.
DeleteYou can steam them or you can heat them in a comal. My way is to heat them up in the microwave.
Thawed first then heated, thanks!
DeleteYou're welcome Rob :)
DeleteI haven't eaten tamales for a long time, and now you have me craving them. My son-in-law makes great tamales, and I will have to drop some hints to him.
ReplyDeleteYou are lucky you have a son-in-law that is a chef. I remember reading your blog one year and he had you all spreading masa on the tamale leaves.
DeleteI recall telling mother how my Anglo-Saxon blogger friends had put us to shame, lol!
The only time tamales will be made at our house is the day I find my Tall Weathered Cowboy (TWC) who knows how to make them...sigh...guess that will be NEVER :-(
Tamales here are so expensive and hard to get, so $10. is a real deal and you say they are really full. I don't think I have ever had chicken tamales never heard of them either. I have had the green with raisins loved them to but nobody seems to make they anymore.
ReplyDeleteI am surprised you have never heard of chicken tamales after pork, chicken are the next most popular at least in Texas.
DeleteGreen with raisins? I have never heard of them...by green do you mean green sauce? I do not like sweet tamales please read my reply to George.
Green as in green chili's. I have never had them with any othere fruit just the rainsin ones. Know I'm not sure maybe they were rice and raisin LOL Yes it has been about 25 yrs since I had them like that.
DeleteTwenty-five years is a long time JO. I figured since you lived in a state bordering Mexico you had access to a lot of Mexican food like we do in Texas.
ReplyDeleteCome to think of it I have had chicken tamales in green hot sauce but NO raisins.
I am in serious tamale envy!! Hope you have a wonderful holiday.
ReplyDeleteHi Frann! They don't have them in your area either? I guess I should consider myself lucky to have them readily available.
DeleteHappy Holidays to you as well.
Interesting comments and replies! Many years ago I had friends who made meat tamales -- a 3 day process which started with corn husks from their farm. Then I became a vegetarian and missed their tamales but one of the comments here made me do a Google search and wonderful recipes popped up, even people starting with their own corn husks. I love spicy food so a new years resolution will be making veggie tamales!
ReplyDeleteHi Martha! I have often said that many times the comments are better than the actual blog post and this looks like one of those times.
DeleteMany people do not realize how laborious making them can be unless they have friends who make them or actually make them themselves. I have only "helped out" twice in my life and that was enough for me...too much work!
I am glad you were able to find vegetarian tamales recipes. Don't forget to let us know how they turned out.