Ferronlandia: A Taste of Tequila & Tamales by The Bay

The first significant experience I had with a tamal was in a small town outside of Merida, Yucatan in the sweltering heat, sitting next to a chicken, a tub of habanero chiles too near for comfort, watching banana leaf packages emerge from an underground fire pit. It was the weekend before Hanal Pixan, meaning Day of the Dead in gringo and "soul food" in Mayan, and my host family wanted me to see the traditional mucbil chicken tamales (called pibs for short) emerge from "mother earth's womb." I had feasted on and made tamales before, but the ceremony behind this, from the careful unwrapping of each one to the tiny corner alter of a picture of la virgin, two coke bottles and two pibs is one of my favorite food related memories.

Fast forward to Sunday, April 17th for the 2011 Taste of Tequila & Tamales by the Bay, where top tequila producers boast their spirits and local tamale makers compete for the People's Choice award. There's no sacred ceremony here, and no chickens, but the event was a tribute to one of Mexico's oldest and greatest culinary gifts, wrapped in golden corn husks and ready for opening. The runners up (according to Ferronlandia), followed by the winner (according to the voters):

Tina Tamale. The minute I walked up to the stand of La Boriqueña Mex-icatessen, Tina's energy reminded me of the love, community and labor that goes into making tamales.

Chatty, warm, and charming, Tina had already made friends with my parents who came by the booth earlier and I wouldn't be suprised to find her at their dining room table with a tamale assembly line by this weekend. Tina reps tamales as hard as she reps Oakland- Started by her grandmother, La Boriqueña has been in the Old Oakland neighborhood since the 1940's. Her website, filled with articles and links dedicated to Old Oakland, is testament to her community connection that runs three generations deep. She also makes a good green chile and cheese tamal.
Chef Steve. Fast-talking Chef Steve is made for TV. Which makes sense because he specializes in coooking demonstrations.

I was taken away by his wild gestures and enthusiastic demeanor and then softly released into my own thoughts of discovery as he smiled while I savored his filipino tamales. Covered with banana leaf and made with coconut, rice, and pork filling.
El Huarache Loco. I believe that at their weekly Alemany Farmers Market stand, Veronica Salazar's Mexico City influenced menu is presented a little nicer than my messy plate. That half tamal was turned inside out.

However, in Ferronlandia flavor rules, and the untidiness on my plate was due to an unusual ratio of spicy, chocolaty, nutty, delicious mole to tamal, which made me wonder if anyone in the polished SF Design Center Galleria would notice an otherwise well-mannered girl licking a corn husk and paper plate dry. El Huarache Loco is a La Cocina business.

And the winner is... The Whole Tortilla. Because doing things differently pays off. Ricardo and Vanessa make a no-husk tamal with New Mexican red and green chile incorporated into their pork, chicken and veggie fillings. Their philosohpy centers around using the whole fruit, vegetable, and chile pepper to incorporate full flavors and nutritional value. The result was the moistest tamale I've ever tasted. Find them at the Jack London Square Farmers Market.