Christmas tamales

[Watchful]

When I lived in the Northside of Houston I was introduced to the Christmas tamale tradition and often they were a totally different recipe for the holidays - with a little bit of sweet - and you would drink cinnamon hot chocolate with them!

I'm plenty ready to be corrected because this was 31 years ago!

I also remember when our Scout troop moms would use the church hall to make tamales on Saturday and when we showed up for church the next day - the floor would be greasy and you could still see a bit of a grease cloud in the air!!

[BobTex]

Since Mrs BobTex learned to make tamales (not a normal talent for someone born and raised in Maritimes Canada) we now have them every Christmas Eve. Her tamales are really good and pretty authentic! She makes a better lobstah roll though.

[SanJac]

Originally Posted by ParaguaneroSwag

Thats false. Tamales are eaten in Christmas in Mexico. Some eat them year round, but it’s still a Christmas dish. As a matter of a fact, most (if not all) Latin American countries have their own version that are also Christmas traditions. Puerto Rico has pasteles, Venezuela has hallacas. Both as Christmas dishes.

So no, tamales in Christmas time didn’t start in Texas. Not uniquely Texas in the slightest sense.

Agree with PS. Not uniquely Texas for sure... more common here due to the large Hispanic influence. I would imagine the traditions are similar in California too. Another Hispanic tradition is making bunuelos on New Year's Eve.

As an aside my friends from Poland also have their own unique Christmas dishes (dumplings, among many others).

[SanJac]

Originally Posted by Watchful

When I lived in the Northside of Houston I was introduced to the Christmas tamale tradition and often they were a totally different recipe for the holidays - with a little bit of sweet - and you would drink cinnamon hot chocolate with them!

I'm plenty ready to be corrected because this was 31 years ago!

I also remember when our Scout troop moms would use the church hall to make tamales on Saturday and when we showed up for church the next day - the floor would be greasy and you could still see a bit of a grease cloud in the air!!

You might be thinking about empanadas... usually made with pumpkin or sweet potato, some bakeries stuff with apple or pineapple.

Maybe your scout troop moms were cooking the pork? I guess that could be greasy. Otherwise tamales are steamed.

[malcorub16]

Originally Posted by SanJac

Agree with PS. Not uniquely Texas for sure... more common here due to the large Hispanic influence. I would imagine the traditions are similar in California too. Another Hispanic tradition is making bunuelos on New Year's Eve.
.

BUNUELOS might actually be more unique to Texas than tamales. Here in SoCal bunuelos are not really that common for New Years.

[ScoPro]

We usually order for pick up about 12-15 dozen cooked & frozen tamales from this place on the south side of San Antonio before Christmas every year.
Tamales are our Christmas Eve meal, and we have them maybe once a month the rest of the year. We do give several dozen to our sons too.

https://www.delriotortillas.com/

However, some extended family members are now recommending this other source from The Valley as being better, so we might order some of theirs for shipping to try. Am not driving all the way down there just for tamales.

https://deliastamales.com/

[SanJac]

I could be wrong but I think I heard HEB is selling Delia's Tamales?

I've never had them...

[ScoPro]

Originally Posted by SanJac

I could be wrong but I think I heard HEB is selling Delia's Tamales?

I've never had them...

Will check that out. Hopefully they do so we can try them.