Last Saturday, my daughter-in-law and I went to make homemade tamales at my sort-of-cousin-by-marriage's house. Alicia is a delight, and it's always fun to go visit her. But when it's tamale making time, the fun (and the work) intensifies. With Latin music playing, and French croissants tempting us from the kitchen, we began smearing masa onto corn husks. The experience is like smearing softened cream cheese onto toast, so it's not something that takes massive amounts of talent to accomplish (which is fortunate!). From that simple basis, Alicia then takes the coated corn husks and carefully spoons in a bit of the chile colorado sauce (all homemade, of course), folds the tamale just so, and puts it into the steamer to cook. After an hour of steaming, the tamales are absolutely, unbelievably, amazingly ready to be savored, with a bit of chile colorado sauce nestling on top.
So, that's the short version. The longer, behind-the-scenes version is this: Friday, Alicia and Susie (her niece) went to a Mexican bakery to buy fresh masa. From there, they traveled to a store to buy the dried chiles for the sauce. On to another bakery to borrow a mixer to mix 30 pounds of masa with 10 pounds of lard!!! (They used to do this at home, but it took way too long.) Then home, to make the chile colorado sauce from these dried chiles and the pork roasts they've been baking and freezing since November. Ashley (my daughter-in-law) and I just showed up at 10:00 ready to smear corn husks (which had been soaked and then towel dried before we showed up). For SEVEN hours, we smeared corn husks and chatted about life - helping to make, in all, about 22 dozen tamales. When we finally finished the last one, Alicia's husband set the table, we all sat down to absolutely fresh tamales, we ate, took home our portion of the day's renderings, and relaxed. Alicia and Susie kept steaming the remaining tamales, and then packaging them for gifts.
I've been thinking about this for several days. . .And realized that, though this is a fantastic time of bonding, making memories, and enjoying fresh tamales, someone had to do a lot of work to make it happen. For years and years and years, Alicia has made the monumental effort to make tamales at Christmas time. She told us that her mother and grandmother used to do this on Christmas Eve (with all the other things going on at the same time!). It's a tradition, it's a memory, it's a blessing to others. . . and it involves work.
So, who is going to make the loving traditions, the happy memories in your family? For me, the answer is: as the mom, as the home creator, as the one who's given herself to creating the ambience of warmth in the family, it's on my plate. If we are going to have homemade gingerbread houses, I have to be willing to assemble the ingredients and oversee the project (which is a LOT more work than simply sitting down and starting to construct! - and which we are doing on Sunday afternoon). If we are going to go caroling, I need to create an inviting environment to have my children want to practice with me (which we did last night). It takes effort to make memories. . .and traditions need that same effort every year in order to really become traditions.
The final thought on this is, be sure to ONLY do what you really enjoy doing for a traditional memory, because all of that work is going to become burdensome if it's not followed by a boatload of joy. (Remember the old saying, "If Mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy?")
In this season, we need to make sure that we're enjoying one another, enjoying our activities, and, most of all, enjoying the Lord.
This is sooooooo true. (0= This year my two oldest boys are helping me make the fudges that only my family seems to have. Mama Mia's Bologna ( a date , cocoanut, almond fudge in the shape of a sausage, lol ) and my Grandma's Christmas Fudge that tastes like a Worthington Origianal candy. ( a toffee like taste that just melts in your mouth ) Plus we make homemade perogies but alas this year not b/c I am packing the house up to move. So it is a bit hecktic here. But your wise words are very good and I am going to remember " If Mama ain't happy nobody's happy. God Bless.
In Him,
-Canadagirl
After you look at the site listed above, you might want to take a peek at my audio recording, "The First Christmas" (http://dianawaring.com/first_christmas/index.html) - which gives the story of the circumstances and miraculous events surrounding the birth of Jesus.
We are in the USAF & while we lived at Whiteman AFB, MO there was a precious woman who lived across the street who would bring delicious tamales at christmas! She loved jesus & before we all moved we got together to make these. It was such an awesome time! My question to you...can you gather the recipes for the sauce, masa , etc & share them with me? I would be ever so grateful. I would love to start doing thsi with my family. Merry Christmas & God bless you & your family!!!!
Dawn Brown Bolling AFB, DC twinkiepafb@hotmail.com
Extremely happily married since 1979, Bill and Diana Waring home schooled their three children for more than twenty years. The Waring kids were the proving grounds for all the precepts, concepts, and encouragements Bill and Diana teach--the real-life examples of the wonders of home schooling! Now, new grandparents and somewhat empty nesters, Bill & Diana travel all over the world to share the joys of loving learning, honoring one another in the family, and enjoying the journey.
• Dec. 14, 2006 - Untitled Comment
In Him,
-Canadagirl