Chicago-made tamales for Christmas: Mexican chef Diana Dávila shares her go-to street vendor
PSA: There's no 'e' in a singular tamal, and it's pronounced /tah-MALL/
CHICAGO (WLS) -- For ABC7 Meteorologist Jaisol Martinez, it's not Christmas without tamales.
Like many other Mexicans, Martinez's family makes it a point of making tamales together. But preparing them is a timely labor of love.
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Award-winning Mexican Chef Diana Dávila knows how to make her own tamales. But like many Chicagoans, even she has her go-to vendor.
"It's a quest that I think many of us go on to find the perfect tamal for us," Dávila said.
Chef Dávila found her vendor right at the corner of Ridgeway and Milwaukee. That's not too far from her Logan Square restaurant, Mi Tocaya Antojería.
There's many people who dedicate so much time and effort and sometimes this is even something that they do on top of already their existing jobs.Diana Dávila, Award-winning Mexican Chef
Her perfect tamales are made by husband-and-wife duo Hector and Blanca.
"It's all about the texture of the masa and not overcooking it and a good ratio between masa and actual guiso with the salsa and. And the salsa needs to be on point," Dávila said.
Hector and Blanca make the traditional Mexican variety but the Guatemalan couple also specializes in the tamal of their home country.
"Guatemalan tamales are pretty, pretty, pretty amazing and really super unique," said Dávila. "Sometimes they don't even do meat and they put potatoes, freckled with chiles and olives and like nutty sauces like pepián."
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Martinez enjoys tamales all year round. But tamales are extra special at Christmas time for Mexicans, Guatemalans and other Latinos. And making them involves a lot work and extra sets of helping hands.
"Everybody gets to participate," said Dávila. "You arrive to the party and it's like en que ayudo? Where do I where do I fit? Put me in coach."
But if you can't gather up the family in time for Christmas, there's no shame in seeking help from a faithful tamal vendor who made it out bright and early, no matter the weather.
"Bring in the tamal experts. Go out there and support. There's many people who dedicate so much time and effort and sometimes this is even something that they do on top of already their existing jobs," Dávila said.
And for all those wondering, Dávila gave us a lesson on the correct way to refer to tamales.
"In Mexico, we call them tamales, plural. But then we refer to them singular as just tamal," explained Dávila. "So it's a tamal or tamales plural."
