Tamales are a traditional food of the Southwest and Mexico. Yes, they’re on the menu at the local Mexican restaurant, and included in some of the frozen meals you can get at the local grocer, but those are not the same as the homemade delicacy that has a special flavor for every season and holiday. Now there is a way to get the goodness of homemade tamales without having to make them yourself. Just order them through the Tucson Tamale Company.
Started by Todd and Sherry Martin, Tucson Tamale Company makes homemade tamales rolled by hand using only non-GMO and organic ingredients. They have almost any flavor combination imaginable, except strawberry. Before you wrinkle your nose to that idea, let me tell you that sweet tamales are actually really good. They are made for special occasions like Christmas. Even though Tucson Tamale Company doesn’t offer a strawberry tamale, they do have a turkey and cranberry tamale for Thanksgiving, and a milk chocolate and cherry tamale for Valentine’s Day. They even have a pumpkin spice tamale, which despite its holiday connotations would be good any time of year.
In addition to sweet tamales, Tucson Tamale Company offers spicy, meat, vegetarian and vegan tamales. They come two to a pack and you can have them shipped directly to your house. You can also buy them in multi-packs that make great gifts. I think I’m going to get my dad the “Box of Happiness,” which has pork, chicken, black bean, red chile, green corn, blue corn, and pumpkin flavors in it. Now I just have to decide which box to get for myself.