Tamales are gifts you can open again and again. Wait — those are books. Tamales are gifts you can open once, because once they’re unwrapped they’re going directly into our stomachs.
Our 2021 tamales list was such a success, we’re bringing it back. This year, we’re highlighting our love for all the tamales, the beloved Mesoamerican creation found throughout Latin America — not just from Mexico but also from Guatemala, El Salvador, Colombia and Cuba, just to name a few places. And we’re even extending the strict definition of tamal to include Chinese sticky rice packets wrapped in lotus or bamboo leaves, instead of the corn husks or banana leaves one might usually expect.
Tamales are delicious year-round but are particularly popular during the holiday and New Year’s seasons, often accompanied by a steaming mug of atole, champurrado or other hot beverage. So whether you’re enjoying a tamal cubano, Guatemalan chuchito or Chinese zongzi, tuck in and get ready to eat: We’re heading into the most wonderful time of the year.
