“Chromies” a traditional tamale with a twist

It’s tamale season and no matter what, every tamale you eat is different, especially if it’s called a “Chromie”. A tradition that’s been passed on from generations. Yuma resident, Lydia Flores, makes these unique tamales with different ingredients every year. “My son nicknamed them “Chromie”, and now everyone now knows them as Chromies. We make our tamales with tin foil. We have green chili with beef or green chili with cheese, and they buy one and I say “you’re going to come back for more” and they do always. The recipe was started by Lydia’s father, who improvised last minute making tamales. “Originally started in the early sixties,my father was making tamales and they run out of corn husk,I guess they couldn’t afford to buy any, so he had foil. He started cutting sheets that would fit the size of it, just put the masa on there and the beef and boom it’s done.They’re always moist and I think it’s the tin foil that keeps them moist.” The traditional tamale with a twist. The look is different but the taste is addicting. “Generally tamales have lard in them and I do not use lard, we use vegetable shortening so they are heart healthy, it’s missing the corn husk but the corn husk does nothing, it just holds it together.” What started as a little improvising while making tamales with the family, lives on for generations. “Oh my gosh I’m hoping to take at least three hundred dozens, I’m almost to that figure now and I just love doing it every year.