How to tamale
A behind the scenes look into Elvira's Bakery
YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KSWT, KECY) - If you follow the sweet smell of freshly baked pastries on 8th street, you’ll find yourself at Elvira’s Bakery.
Aside from tasty deserts, bakers also make tamales. With Christmas only days away, the demand is high.
“Tamale is just something that’s been a tradition for many, many years,” said owner Sofia Ortega.
A tamale is a traditional Mexican dish made of masa or dough. It is steamed in a corn husk and although meat is the classic filling, it’s customizable to any diet.
The process is time-consuming but with an efficient assembly line, Ortega showed just how easy it can be.
- Prepare the masa (or dough). At Elvira’s Bakery, the dough includes shortening, baking powder, salt, and the boiled meat broth to help with extra flavor
- Add the dough to the corn husk then add the filling. Today bakers were making pork and beef tamales
- Wrap it up!
- Steam
- Devour
The bakers at Elvira’s Bakery have already made over 400 tamales filling pre-Christmas orders.
Today they were making around 20 dozen batches.
