Echo Park tamales promise a healthy, sustainable new tradition for the holidays
This Christmas, we’re really excited to start a new family tradition by chucking the whole turkey idea, replacing the traditional holiday meal with some really great, local tamales. Of course, there are a lot of great places to get tamales in Los Angeles. Celaya Bakery in Echo Park and Mama’s Hot Tamales Cafe are probably the most well-known in the immediate area, but we’re adding “White-Girl Tamale Maker” La Guera Tamales to the mix as a healthy and sustainable source for a new really tasty new family tradition.
The owner, chef, and self-proclaimed “white-girl tamale maker” is a sweet, soft-spoken but passionate Echo Park resident named Deborah. Her tamales are hand-tied, the salsas made from scratch, and none of her products have any lard, trans-fats or gluten, and are made of local, organic ingredients whenever possible. To Deborah, the corn is the most important organic ingredient – it is non-GMO, organic/pesticide-free, and really delicious. She describes the masa as being a little coarser than store-bought masa (which is highly processed), but it is definitely lighter and fluffier – it doesn’t leave that “brick” in your tummy feeling that over-processed tamale ingredients can do.
I thought I liked tamales before, but let’s face it – I’m not a traditional tamale type of eater. I don’t eat red meat or pork, and frankly I’m not a lot of meat at all these days; I grew up in a health food store, eat tofu, and probably might be labeled as a some kind of hippie/hipster. But I also know good healthy food – so we tried the Blue Corn Jalapeño tamale, and LOVED it.
Blue Corn Jalapeno tamale
The jalapeños in the Blue Corn tamale I ate are from Tutti Frutti Farms, which you can find at the Atwater Village Farmers’ Market. I topped it with sour cream and her homemade salsa (which also uses ingredients from the local farmers’ markets), adding another layer of flavor that just makes my mouth water. One Yelp! reviewer sums it up nicely for us: ” Oh my god oh my god oh my god oh my freakin god these things are delicious.”
Although Deborah’s professional background is mainly in business rather than cooking, she learned the secrets of making tamales from a tamaleros family from Veracruz, Mexico. She also worked in Mama’s Hot Tamale Café through their business training program. The company tagline, “merging tradition with nutrition,” might help you more traditional tamale eaters digest her concept. It’s really important to her that the tamales are artisanal, not produced by a big factory.
It wasn't hard to finish the whole tamale....
For the carnivore, you have the choice of Organic free-range chicken or family farmed pork. There’s the Blue Corn Jalapeno and cheese for the vegetarians. The vegans (which are very excited about her tamales) have Spinach and Shiitake Mushroom Sesame Kale, Blue Corn Jalapeno and Dayia, and “Sasquash” (baked yam and butternut squash masa with sweet red bean filling). She also has vegan dessert tamales with fillings like FigNana, Ginger Pear, and Strawberry, that also make really great breakfast options.
Keep in mind that La Guera Tamales are not the cheap, frozen food aisle type of meals – although some might cringe at the $5 each price tag, it’s actually a pretty cheap meal as they will fill you up! A half dozen gets you a slight discount at $29, and a dozen for $58.
Where you’ll win at price-wise is the free delivery: Deborah personally delivers tamale orders for free to local Los Angeles locations. This works out for customers mainly because as she’s delivering to a regularly scheduled customer, she’ll let you know on her email list if she’s going to be in your neighborhood – that way she can deliver (for free) an order as small as two tamales.
Holidays are a busy time of year – but Deborah still delivers on Christmas Day. She just started offering nationwide shipping for those customers outside of LA who are craving La Guera Tamales (make sure to order by December 18). For local delivery, place your order with La Guera as soon as possible! Placing an order is easy online, but you can also find Deborah hanging out with her friend, The Flan King, at the Echo Park Farmers’ Market every Friday.
Go to gttamales.com to order and for more info!
What i do not understood is in reality how you’re no longer really much more well-favored than you may be right now. You’re very intelligent. You already know thus significantly in terms of this subject, produced me in my view imagine it from so many varied angles. Its like men and women aren’t involved unless it¡¦s one thing to do with Woman gaga! Your own stuffs great. Always maintain it up!
I think other web site proprietors should take this website as an model, very clean and excellent user genial style and design, let alone the content. You are an expert in this topic!
It is perfect time to make some plans for the future and it is time to be happy. I’ve read this post and if I could I want to suggest you some interesting things or tips. Maybe you could write next articles referring to this article. I want to read even more things about it!
I like what you guys are up too. Such smart work and reporting! Carry on the superb works guys I have incorporated you guys to my blogroll. I think it’ll improve the value of my website 🙂
How much of an helpful document, hold publishing special someone
There’s noticeably a bundle to find out about this. I assume you made sure nice factors in options also.
Excellent weblog here! Also your web site lots up fast! What host are you the use of? Can I am getting your associate link for your host? I wish my web site loaded up as quickly as yours lol
I got what you intend, saved to my bookmarks , very nice website .
I went over this web site and I believe you have a lot of wonderful information, – Gulvafslibning | Kurt Gulvmand bookmarked (:.
Intimately, the post is in reality the greatest on this worthy topic. I fit in with your conclusions and also will thirstily look forward to your forthcoming updates. Saying thanks definitely will not simply be sufficient, for the amazing lucidity in your writing. I will certainly perfect away grab your rss feed to stay privy of any kind of updates. Authentic work and also much success in your business endeavors!
whoah this weblog is excellent i love studying your posts. Keep up the good work! You recognize, many individuals are looking around for this info, you could help them greatly.
Very well written story. It will be supportive to anybody who employess it, as well as yours truly :). Keep doing what you are doing – for sure i will check out more posts.
A person essentially help to make significantly articles I would state. This is the very first time I frequented your website page and up to now? I amazed with the research you made to make this actual publish extraordinary. Great activity!
I believe this website has got some rattling excellent info for everyone :D. “Morality, like art, means a drawing a line someplace.” by Oscar Wilde.
Hello there, I discovered your online web site by way of Google acquire the best for a related topic, your internet site emerged, it appears fantastic. We have saved it during my google social bookmarks.
We do not harbor which i could not forgive others’ mistakes when this come to.
Hey there! I luckily stumbled upon your post from Yahoo. Your writing is filled with great information, and I will likely use it at some point in my future. Keep up the excellent work!
Thanks for sharing superb informations. Your site is very cool. I am impressed by the details that you have on this blog. It reveals how nicely you perceive this subject. Bookmarked this web page, will come back for more articles. You, my friend, ROCK! I found simply the info I already searched everywhere and simply could not come across. What a great site.
What i do not understood is in truth how you are no longer actually a lot more neatly-appreciated than you might be right now. You are very intelligent. You already know therefore significantly in relation to this matter, produced me individually believe it from a lot of various angles. Its like women and men don’t seem to be involved until it is something to accomplish with Lady gaga! Your individual stuffs great. At all times care for it up!
Aw, this was a really nice post. In concept I wish to put in writing like this additionally ?taking time and precise effort to make a very good article?however what can I say?I procrastinate alot and by no means seem to get one thing done.
But wanna comment on few general things, The website style is perfect, the content material is very great. “Art for art’s sake makes no more sense than gin for gin’s sake.” by W. Somerset Maugham.
Me English no excellent, but had to say me like what you say. Thank you from me.
MetroClick specializes in building completely interactive products like Photo Booth for rental or sale, Touch Screen Kiosks, Large Touch Screen Displays , Monitors, Digital Signages and experiences. With our own hardware production facility and in-house software development teams, we are able to achieve the highest level of customization and versatility for Photo Booths, Touch Screen Kiosks, Touch Screen Monitors and Digital Signage. Visit MetroClick in NYC at http://www.metroclick.com/ or , 121 Varick St, New York, NY 10013, +1 646-843-0888
I simply hope to inform you that I am new to writing and absolutely loved your information. Very possible I am most likely to bookmark your blog post . You undoubtedly have amazing article materials. Be Grateful For it for discussing with us your current web post
I regard something truly special in this website.
This is a good subject to talk about. Generally when I come across these sort of things I like to post them on Digg. This article probably wont do well with that crowd. Ill take a look around your site though and submit something else.
I simply couldn’t depart your web site before suggesting that I extremely loved the usual info an individual supply for your guests? Is gonna be back continuously to inspect new posts.
Just wanna comment on few general things, The website design and style is perfect, the subject material is rattling superb. “Crime does not pay … as well as politics.” by Alfred E. Newman.
I simply want to mention I am all new to blogging and site-building and absolutely liked you’re website. Probably I’m planning to bookmark your website . You definitely have great articles and reviews. Thank you for sharing with us your blog.
Oh my goodness! a tremendous article dude. Thank you Nevertheless I’m experiencing concern with ur rss . Don’t know why Unable to subscribe to it. Is there anyone getting equivalent rss downside? Anybody who is aware of kindly respond. Thnkx
There are some fascinating points in time in this article but I don’t know if I see all of them heart to heart. There may be some validity but I’ll take hold opinion till I look into it further. Good article , thanks and we would like more! Added to FeedBurner as properly
You’ll find it near impossible to see well-qualified americans on this theme, but you seem like you realize the things you’re indicating! Thanks A Lot
Thanks for the sensible critique. Me and my neighbor were just preparing to do a little research on this. We got a grab a book from our local library but I think I learned more from this post. I am very glad to see such fantastic information being shared freely out there.
I need to understand exactly how to watch my posts or discuss other individuals blogs. Is there anywhere I could go to obtain a list of all my articles?. Any help appreciated.
Hey, you used to write magnificent, but the last few posts have been kinda boring… I miss your great writings. Past several posts are just a little out of track! come on!
Great write-up, I’m normal visitor of one’s site, maintain up the excellent operate, and It is going to be a regular visitor for a lengthy time.
I was also reading a topic like this one from another site..~~*’
This internet site is actually a walk-through its the info it suited you about this and didn’t know who must. Glimpse here, and you’ll absolutely discover it.
obviously like your web site however you need to check the spelling on several of your posts. Several of them are rife with spelling problems and I in finding it very bothersome to inform the reality on the other hand I’ll certainly come back again.
Dead pent subject material , appreciate it for entropy.
Hey, you used to write fantastic, but the last several posts have been kinda boring¡K I miss your tremendous writings. Past few posts are just a little bit out of track! come on!
Good website! I really love how it is simple on my eyes and the data are well written. I am wondering how I might be notified when a new post has been made. I have subscribed to your RSS which must do the trick! Have a great day!
I together with my buddies appeared to be reading the excellent helpful hints found on your web blog and immediately developed an awful suspicion I never expressed respect to you for them. The people ended up for this reason happy to learn them and have in effect in actuality been tapping into those things. Appreciate your genuinely considerably helpful and then for deciding on some decent themes most people are really wanting to be informed on. My honest apologies for not expressing gratitude to you sooner.
I want to get more fans by submitting my pictures to blog sites. Like when people click via, they will certainly link to my blog.
Attractive section of content. I just stumbled upon your web site and in accession capital to assert that I get actually enjoyed account your blog posts. Any way I will be subscribing to your augment and even I achievement you access consistently quickly.
This is really interesting, You are a very skilled blogger. I’ve joined your feed and look forward to seeking more of your fantastic post. Also, I’ve shared your web site in my social networks!
I wish to show some thanks to the writer just for bailing me out of such a setting. After researching throughout the world wide web and meeting thoughts which were not helpful, I thought my entire life was gone. Being alive minus the answers to the problems you have fixed by way of this review is a crucial case, and those that might have in a negative way damaged my career if I had not discovered the blog. Your good expertise and kindness in handling every part was useful. I’m not sure what I would have done if I hadn’t encountered such a stuff like this. I’m able to at this point relish my future. Thanks so much for the professional and result oriented guide. I won’t hesitate to endorse your blog post to anybody who ought to have care about this subject matter.
I simply want to say I’m newbie to blogging and seriously liked you’re blog site. Most likely I’m planning to bookmark your blog . You really come with very good stories. Thanks for revealing your webpage.
Thank you for your whole labor on this website. Gloria enjoys carrying out internet research and it’s easy to understand why. All of us know all relating to the lively ways you render good tips and hints through the website and recommend participation from some others on that situation plus our simple princess is really becoming educated a lot. Take advantage of the rest of the year. You’re carrying out a really good job.
I just want to tell you that I’m very new to blogging and site-building and actually liked this website. Very likely I’m want to bookmark your website . You absolutely come with exceptional articles. Thanks a lot for sharing with us your blog.