I’m very So. Cal., but I never thought tamales were totally unknown. Have they become known in your life time? Still don’t know what they are? Think they come wrapped in wax paper in a can?
Tamales are not just for holidays. They are a delicious treat no matter what the season. Tamales in a can, though, are only acceptable when you can’t get any other kind.
Love 'em! I used to get them from the local tamale man on a very rough and dangerous corner in South Side Memphis (these came out of a cooler & were obviously homemade); used to get 'em from Doe’s Eat Place in Greenville, Miss., and Abe’s BBQ in Clarksdale, Miss.) and have even made 'em from scratch. Very laborious. Very good.
Check this out: The Mississippi Delta Tamale Trail www . tamaletrail . com/
(Last I checked, NOBODY would ship to Alaska :smack:)
I love tamales. I don’t think of them as a holiday food, though. 'Round here, a lot of the hot dog stands also have tamales, good for me since I prefer non-meat options. There’s also a bar I frequent where we are on the lookout for “the tamale guy” who comes into the bar and sells 4 different types of tamales out of a cooler. Nice guy. Delicious tamales!
Never thought of them as holiday food either - oh I love good tamales with shredded pork!
Unfortunately since moving to the upper midwest I’ve yet to find a really good tamale. Some supermarkets have them in the butcher cases, but they’re mushy and made with ground beef. Acceptable with tons of hot sauce. (Tamales in a can? That just seems wrong.)
I love tamales! I get them whenever I feel like it from my neighborhood Mexican restaurant. No cheese, please!
But they are a holiday thing as well. Every year (around Christmas time) we get about 2 dozen from a family friend, husk wrapped and all. Then into the freezer they go, for a month or 2 of future sustenance! It is a tradition for many Mexican families (around here at least) to do the “tamale assembly line” when the whole family is together. Lots and lots and LOTS of tamales are made.
I didn’t even want to address tamales in a can. But, tamales that come in a CAN?? No. Just no!
Moving to Cafe Society.
I’m in the midwest, and I don’t remember not knowing what they were, seems to me they were offered on Mexican restaurant menus when I was growing up. I rarely order them in a restaurant though, a couple times a year we’ll pick some up when we’re downtown in the Mexican village neighborhood.
Have zero association with them as a holiday treat at all.
chiroptera, Have you tried the freezer section? I haven’t been to Michigan, but here amongst the frozen burritos we have some decent tamales, with shredded meat at least! Ground beef is also heresy in a tamale…
In my opinion, a “true” tamale is either shredded pork or beef, seasoned but not too much, in the mesa, in the husk, and steamed. Remove husk after steaming, apply hot sauce and/or salsa. Enjoy.
I grew up in and now live in VA (you might have guessed that from the username). In the late 80s I was in the Army stationed in San Antonio. Since then, tamales have been part of our Christmas Eve tradition. Options for them here are limited but I usually get them in corn husks from the local Whole Foods. In a pinch I’ve had to use the canned ones.
In which stores (you’re close enough that we share some of the same grocery stores)? I hadn’t thought of that. Next time I get down closer to metro Detroit I’ll try to remember to look. It’s a bit of a wasteland where I live now…
Tamales are year-round food for me, and I’ve never seen them in a can. It helps to live in Chicago, where you can get them from lots of sources.
I’ve only had tamales once. They were mushy and bland and I’ve never tried them since.
Pilar’s Tamale Cart & Catering, Ann Arbor, MI
Nom nom nom, tamales. LOVE.
I love tamales and I’m always on the lookout for a good one. Usually the local mom-and-pop taco shops will make them special for Christmas, so it’s a great time to try out the different varieties.
I just bought 2 dozen tamales yesterday from some lady. They were only 7 dollars a dozen and she had pork and chicken, spicy or mild.
They are an all-season food here in Texas and it’s not unusual to have some strange lady approach you in public. I’ve bought them from street vendors, tamale trucks, the mothers of co-workers, and strangers in front of the grocery store (or other places like that) on many occasions. The ones I got yesterday were from a random lady who came to the food bank where I work and were very good. Prices range from about 6 bucks to 12 dollars a dozen.
I’ve seen beef, pork, chicken and my favorite, bean-and-cheese, for sale.
And, no, I have never gotten food poisoning from buying tamales from strangers, although I suppose that is a risk.
I usually re-heat them with a steamer basket. Any recommended settings for heating in an over (temp, wrap in foil, etc.)
So tamales are more year-'round away from my border area! How interesting that we’ve pigeon holed them. We even have the tamale festival in December.
Someday I’m going and trying the strawberry ones. Or the shrimp. Aw heck; I’m trying them all. It’s pretty much beef or pork here, rarely chicken, and sweet tamales are almost extinct. I think too many people make them with nasty-tasting pineapple and raisins.
The canned tamales are for people who’re really homesick, I believe. I couldn’t finish them and I was in dire need of comfort food at the time.
ETA: I’ve never heated them in the oven. I do know you won’t like them microwaved 
I’ve never had a problem microwaving them. Keep the husks on.
We used to get frozen ones from Costco or something. But we went to the Farmer’s Market and there was a tamale place. Man they were good. Unfortunately I think the Farmer’s Market is closed for the year.
HOT TAMALE HOT HOT TAMALE HOT TAMALE HOT HOT
Never had, not a fan of hot stuff.