Tamales

We made Tamales today. DF, the owner of Wilbrod House, started preparing the ingredients yesterday, e.g. soaking the corn husk, preparing the chili sauce and ingredients for the tacos, cooking the masa (cornmeal dough) and the pork filling, etc. At 2pm today, she took us through the process of wrapping the tamales. All of us sat around the dining table for about an hour, helping to wrap the masa and pork filling with the soft corn husk (see photos below).


Here, you can see the corn husk, corn dough (masa) and pork filling in the tamale.


This is what wrapped tamales look like. They are then steamed in a pot until the corn dough is cooked.


These were the ingredients to go with the tacos.

The tamales (esp. the spicy pork filling inside) tasted so good that I ended up eating five of them. I think I decided I was going to have lunch, dinner and supper all at once. :)

I really enjoyed the mixed salad with the balsamic vinegar dressing too. It was made by one of the cuisiniers in the House. I believe the dressing contained a reduction of balsamic vinegar, syrup, raspberry puree, and some other secret ingredients that the housemate refused to divulge. There is something to be said about living in a house with people who cook well.

Anyway, we had a real feast -- it's one of the best we've had in the House. All of us had fun. The dining room was filled with lively conversations and laughter. I hope the new housemates (who just arrived a few days ago) enjoyed this activity. I can assure them there will be many more such parties to come.