Here we find out plucky hero on Saturday morning getting things done so he can make it to the market on time. He realizes with a start he hasn’t had breakfast yet, oh no. Need to keep the blood sugar on an even keel, that bad ol’ gout. The cafeteria white cereal bowl is set carefully down and the yummy flax cereal makes it’s way slowly in to the bowl. He’s a caring man. He turns, notices fresh strawberries. In they go. His brows raise, the man is interested now. Off to the fridge for the lovely 1% cow’s gift … when … at the door is a knock. A kind knock. Our hero looks outside only to see a little girl in a purple fuzzy coat he doesn’t recognize. “Who could this be at 8:45 in the morning?” Wonders our hero.
Why, it’s Mr. Tamale Man!
I kid you not. This kind gentleman and his daughter had a huge steamer pot in a laundry cart and were making the rounds. Chicken & Pork Tamales at 8 in the morning, $1.50 a piece !!! I got 2 pork and 2 chicken. Gout or no, I had me one pork tamale, it was too much. The masa was textury and corny and moist. The filling was clearly good pork and red chile sauce. It had just enough zing to let you know it was there, perfect for breakfast. I would have liked a little more meat and a little more red sauce, but it was FINE and I would have paid another dollar for that anywhere else. That was HOME cookin’ there pal! What a great way to start the day. I am inspired and feeling fine. For now.
Xo Xo
MeatHenge
"If it ain't pork, it ain't sausage"
Wow. Door to door service. Nice!
I live near the outer Mission in SF, where there are a number of tamale guys, and tamale ladies, whe sell them on the street. And sometimes they show up at the Alemany farmer’s market.
You just can’t beat those tamales.
I’ve never even attempted to make my own. Those guys set the bar so high…
That’s hilarious. I wonder if she carts him around for safety, or if he carts her around for validity?
Hey All,
I heard tell there’s a woman that shows up at local bars after midnight in SF and sells some world class tamals.
They ain’t all that tough to make. The tough part is finding decent lard for the masa, that’s what dials it in. Vegetable shortening does the job, but the lard pushes it over and gives you that smile you don’t normally get.
Biggles
You speak of “The Tamle Lady”
I have yet to encounter her cuz I’m rarely out at the bars past midnight anymore. But she and her tamales are legendary in this town. She sells out quick, so when she shows up you gotta line up fast, I’m told!
I’m so jealous! We only have hot dog carts here in Columbus…
Awesome. I dream of this happening in my life!
JB
How I’d love that to happen to me on a weekend morning. I adore tamales and have to wait a few more months before I can move back to the Bay Area and indulge in good authentic Mexican food.
pardon me for my ignorance, but what exactly is a tamale?
is it some sort of a roll?
Hey Rumy,
A Tamale is a meat and sauce blend that is wrapped in a course ground corn dough, then wrapped in a corn husk and steamed. Actually, you can use any type of filling you like. Cinnamon & raisins are good too. But I like the pork/chicken and red chile sauce tamales the best. Wonderful packets of love.
Biggles
Door to door tamales? Wish I could get that service
Hey Nick,
I couldn’t believe it. I hope he comes around again. I’ve never seen door to door food in our neighborhood before. We have the Mexican Ice cart going around. We have the guys on the corner selling boxes of strawberries, even cotton candy. But not hot pork meals !!!
Don’t forget the Mexican dude that sells chickens door-to-door from a refrigerated cart. (Actually, I haven’t seen him in a year or so.) Then, there’s a little dude that sells tomaters door-to-door, too, but I’ve only seen him once. There’s another tiny hombre that hangs out on the corner of Amador and Solano to sell fresh produce, too. Oh, yeah, and there’s the family that sells oranges and watermelons from the back of their pick-up, on San Pablo Ave., near the Safeway on McDonald Ave. …and the people that sell cherries from the back of their truck off a Dam Road between Amador St. and Raley’s.
With the amount of fresh produce milling about, it’s almost like living in Modesto or Sunnyvale back in the olden days.
What I would do for a tamale! Of course it’s passover week and I don’t think the gawds shine happily down upon the jewish tamale eaters. ; P
But after Pesach… OY VEY IS MIR! Pumpkin, cinnamon, raisin tamales YUM!
And pork tamales – after Pesach, it’s all good.
yikes……what am I doing in Los Angeles ?
wish I was there !!!! missing you
Congrats Sir. It has been a long time. I don’t remember you as scary looking as this picture though.