It's hard to believe that it has been almost 15 years since I learned how to make tamales. It's interesting how the mind and the heart catalogues memory and how everything is connected. The Butterfly Effect demonstrates itself in some of the most mysterious ways.
Years ago we lived in Santa Rosa, CA and I was very active volunteering with a number of community organizations. That is, in and of itself, a story of its very own...or possibly even a book. At the time I was working on a series of Art quilts I called "Sewn Paintings". I was working as a bookseller in a local book store and Omar and I had just bought our first house. I met a friend, Mrs. Raquelle Montejo, through one of the organizations I was volunteering with. We have since lost touch. She was a very lovely person and an even better chef. At the time she made the tamales for many of the Mexican eateries in the area. She had also historically made tamales for the annual local fundraiser of one of the groups where I was volunteering regularly. That year she did not want to make the tamales. She had become dis-enchanted with the organization. At the time I was confused and didn't understand why she was turning her back on the organization. In time I came to understand all too well...but that's another can of frijoles.
Raquelle and I spent many afternoons together laughing and visiting. Though we were from different Christian backgrounds we shared a love of Jesus and concern for the wellbeing of our community. Though we had some language barrier, we worked through it and got along quite well. When she decided to not participate in the fundraiser, she taught me how to make the tamales. I still remember how to make her family recipe, though I do not make them that way, since I no longer eat chicken or pork. Nor am I willing to compromise our friendship by sharing that recipe publicly. When the time for the fundraiser came there was a great upset in the organization for many reasons both political and cultural. It was profound for me. I have written about it in the past and do not care to rehash the details, but the result was my husband and I came down with H1N1 and almost died, and I became vegetarian. Around that time my paternal Grandmother also suffered a massive stroke and became paralyzed. My family was forever changed. I spent a month with my Grandmother while she was getting accustomed to her new body and surroundings. I lost 60 pounds.
Fast forward to yesterday and making all these tamales. Last month my paternal Grandmother passed away on the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Traveling back East for the funeral was horrible. The weather was bad. My family was difficult, and my trip was uncomfortable. And to top it all off, once I returned home I got sick...again. The Holidays were kind of a bummer for us this past year. I'm older now. I've gained much of that 60 pounds back. I've added some seafood back into my diet, and as of now have little to no contact with my family. It's not an unusual story just a human story. But, tamales are delicious.
Instead of filling my tamales with the traditional pork or chicken, my tamales are filled with black beans and cotija, cactus and Oxacan cheese, and/or chiles and cheese. Whether I'm making pierogi or tamales, my Grandma Rose will always be with me...and I also now understand why Raquelle wasn't interested in CHA anymore. I agree with her now. She was oh so very right.
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