Let's Talk Tamales .....Tales from a Tamale Lady

If you've read my first blog, then you know I love New Mexico. For me, the Land of Enchantment is my get away, my dash to serenity. My bundled up nerves start to unwind and unravel after we pass Amarillo. Tucumcari Tonight, as the road signs entice the weary traveler to stop and rest there. My husband always pushes on to Sante Fe. He's in a hurry too, because he knows how happy it makes me to see this city again.

But, I digress...it's Tamales we are talking about here.  Best Tamales in New Mexico were this year's. Leaving Santa Fe, headed to Taos, we are just outside of Espanola about to wind our way up and climb the last little piece of mountain before the gorge. That is the Rio Grande Gorge I am talking about. It is fourish in the afternoon and the rush is to get to town before the sun sets and the cold makes your bones brittle. 

I see a yellow, then a hot pink poster board stuck on the side of the road. The frst one says "Hot", the second says "fresh" and my husband in his rush plows ahead. "Wait" I grab his arm....."turrn around". "I said  "Tamales!" my husband said "where?!"
"Back there, turn around honey! " We turn around, the five of us packed in tight with the luggage our many coats, gloves and scarves and the family dog, and saw that I was right! The third sign had somehow turned backwards and it did indeed say Tamales.

We pull up on the side of the road, a pinion wood fire burning, children running in and around the temporary tent that he had set up as his Tamale Headquarters.  The Latino man with the rosy cheeks was smiling as he informed us that he only had a dozen red Pork and a half dozen green Chicken left for the day. My husband said "we'll take all that you got left'"

He of course asked us where we were from. I guess my country girl Texas accent  gave us away. We pulled out out and immediately dove into the zip lock bag and I passed the still steaming tamales around our SUV. I guess being cold made those tamales taste just that much better! Yes sir, they were some darn good tamales. I am real glad that guy is all the way up near Taos. He would give Dallas Tortilla and Tamale Factory a good run for our money!

Lucky Luna the Labrador from Lewisville made the 2010 New Mexico Run and yes she did have some Tamales!