The gift of tamales: A celebration of Mexican culture and community
As Pati Jinich quickly yet gingerly spreads whipped masa into corn husks, it becomes apparent: The cookbook author and TV host has been doing this for years. She gracefully folds the stuffed wrappings, tying some with little corn-husk bows to denote a mushroom filling. Onlookers at a photo shoot where she demonstrates her method pepper her with questions: how much masa to use, how soft the corn husks should feel, what to do with leftover filling. Answering as she works, she never falters with a response or a tamal. Eventually, she offers a bit of reassurance: "You know, making tamales is ...