November 24, 2009

Awww Shucks

One of my former co-workers' mother makes the absolute best tamales around, but she only does it during the holiday season. Every year I place my order for 12 dozen and wonder if I should increase it.

She cooks them up fresh, and then I meet her husband in a parking lot somewhere between our two homes. He gives me three plastic grocery sacks with foil wrapped tamales, and I hand him a check. I always wonder if we look like a drug drop, and one day anticipate being stopped by the police. When that happens, I'll just laugh and offer them a tamale.

We always eat one fresh batch right away and freeze the rest until Christmas Eve. Anything we don't eat at Christmas is a yummy and simple dinner at a later date.

Throughout Texas the traditional Christmas Eve dinner for many families is Tamales -- and I seriously believe that my family was one of the first white families to embrace the tradition.

It was probably around 1928 or 1929 when all the kinfolks started showing up at my grandparents' front door in Austin to celebrate Christmas Eve. I believe my great grandfather had died and my great grandmother had moved in with the kids. The elder Porsch's had always hosted the whole family on Christmas Eve, and no one had talked about where they would gather that year. They all just assumed.

My grandmother had not prepared for a crowd, so she sent my grandfather out to get anything that they could serve quickly -- and he found a tamale vendor.

They rolled out newspapers on the table, and thus began a tradition that we continue to this day. I'm really glad others have caught on to our little secret.

By the way -- I'll vouch for Ms Vicki and her tamales any day. (and yes Eddie and Carla -- Lucy is safe and healthy)

November 24, 2009

Awww Shucks

One of my former co-workers' mother makes the absolute best tamales around, but she only does it during the holiday season. Every year I place my order for 12 dozen and wonder if I should increase it.

She cooks them up fresh, and then I meet her husband in a parking lot somewhere between our two homes. He gives me three plastic grocery sacks with foil wrapped tamales, and I hand him a check. I always wonder if we look like a drug drop, and one day anticipate being stopped by the police. When that happens, I'll just laugh and offer them a tamale.

We always eat one fresh batch right away and freeze the rest until Christmas Eve. Anything we don't eat at Christmas is a yummy and simple dinner at a later date.

Throughout Texas the traditional Christmas Eve dinner for many families is Tamales -- and I seriously believe that my family was one of the first white families to embrace the tradition.

It was probably around 1928 or 1929 when all the kinfolks started showing up at my grandparents' front door in Austin to celebrate Christmas Eve. I believe my great grandfather had died and my great grandmother had moved in with the kids. The elder Porsch's had always hosted the whole family on Christmas Eve, and no one had talked about where they would gather that year. They all just assumed.

My grandmother had not prepared for a crowd, so she sent my grandfather out to get anything that they could serve quickly -- and he found a tamale vendor.

They rolled out newspapers on the table, and thus began a tradition that we continue to this day. I'm really glad others have caught on to our little secret.

By the way -- I'll vouch for Ms Vicki and her tamales any day. (and yes Eddie and Carla -- Lucy is safe and healthy)