[Parker]

Anyone remember what a good old-fashioned authentic tamale tastes like? Do you know where you can find one, or where I can get a really good recipe by someone who knows what their doing? All my Dad wants for his 89th birthday is a tamale like the ones he got as a kid from a street vendor in Oklahoma. I know, good luck to me...but I'll try!

[ssmith]

this may not help but my husband has eaten from the food trucks they have at the new areas that serves the workers on the houses. He said it was authentic mexican food!

[perrjojo]

Ay Jalisco food can be very good or very bad.....being a Texas girl, I have liked their tamales but the quality is not consistent.

[cquick]

Originally Posted by Parker

Anyone remember what a good old-fashioned authentic tamale tastes like? Do you know where you can find one, or where I can get a really good recipe by someone who knows what their doing? All my Dad wants for his 89th birthday is a tamale like the ones he got as a kid from a street vendor in Oklahoma. I know, good luck to me...but I'll try!

I am so sorry that I didn't take more lessons from my neighbor across the street when I lived in Sterling Illinois. She came from Mexico and all of her sisters and her husband's sisters got together a little before Christmas to make tamales....wonderful~

[cquick]

Originally Posted by ssmith

this may not help but my husband has eaten from the food trucks they have at the new areas that serves the workers on the houses. He said it was authentic mexican food!

you could ask if any of the food truck vendors could make home made tamales.

[DENNIS G]

Originally Posted by Parker

Anyone remember what a good old-fashioned authentic tamale tastes like? Do you know where you can find one, or where I can get a really good recipe by someone who knows what their doing? All my Dad wants for his 89th birthday is a tamale like the ones he got as a kid from a street vendor in Oklahoma. I know, good luck to me...but I'll try!

We ordered from The Texas Tamale Warehouse. They were great, great service, still frozen when they arrived with 3 day ground shipping. They ship all over, and have good prices, a lot of diffenent type tamales, pork, beef, vegie, bean, dessert tamales just to name a few.. I think they are in Dallas. We are ordering again next month for another party.

Try this link:
The Texas Tamale Warehouse - Homemade Tamales ~ Mexican Tamales ~ Texas Tamales!

[CaliforniaGirl]

There is a little Mexican market on 301 just south of the 301/466 intersection. I haven't been there in a while, but I used to go there and order tamales. They didn't sell them there, but would make them (homemade!) upon request. I used to order 4-6 dozen at a time and stock the freezer. Haven't thought about it in a while, but now that you've brought it up, I'll be stopping by there soon to see if they will still do it.
If they will, be prepared to wait about a week between ordering & pickup. Well worth the wait!

[cquick]

Originally Posted by CaliforniaGirl;6***48

There is a little Mexican market on 301 just south of the 301/466 intersection. I haven't been there in a while, but I used to go there and order tamales. They didn't sell them there, but would make them (homemade!) upon request. I used to order 4-6 dozen at a time and stock the freezer. Haven't thought about it in a while, but now that you've brought it up, I'll be stopping by there soon to see if they will still do it.
If they will, be prepared to wait about a week between ordering & pickup. Well worth the wait!

oh, thanks, I might do that too!

[SALYBOW]

Stupid question... what is in a tamal?

[CaliforniaGirl]

Originally Posted by SALYBOW

Stupid question... what is in a tamal?

Salybow, the filling is traditionally a mixture of shredded chicken or pork cooked with onions, red or green chili peppers, and spices. Masa dough is spread onto corn husks, the filling is added, then they are folded up and steamed until firm (which cooks the masa.) I like a thin masa, which is why I prefer homemade...what you get in Mexican restaurants is typically 90% masa and 10% filling. Might as well be eating cornbread.

My ex's mother was from Mexico. Making tamales was a Christmas tradition and a big and labor-intense venture. Wish I had paid more attention to how the filling was made...my job was to spread the masa dough on the husks. Christmas breakfast was fried eggs, fried potatoes, refried beans and tamales...unbelievably good and most unhealthy!

[Parker]

Oh, thank you all! I'm on it!

[Parker]

Update: We ordered some tamales from the Texas Tamale website recommended by Dennis G above. They arrived nice and frozen by UPS three days later. They were very good, though a little on the small side. Next time, and there will be a next time, we'll order the larger size. Thank you for the link!

[duffysmom]

I'm going to order the vegan tamales and hope they aren't too spicey for this Irish lass. I'll let you know....

[Parker]

Just pay attention to the shipping charges. They are high because of the need to keep frozen I guess. But it costs very little extra to order more tamales, so we ordered double what we had planned for less than a dollar more. Next time, we'll order lots more and just keep them in the freezer for future meals. They come in sealed packs of six, and you can boil them right in that pack over 15 minutes. It's a very quick easy meal. No muss, no fuss.