Holiday Tamales de Elote

Gathering in the kitchen to craft hand-made tamales with fillings to suit every taste is a time-honored family tradition for the holidays. Not my family, and not only the Christmas holiday.

Sweet corn tamale with a sprinkle of cheese, plus crema

Still, when I saw sweet corn tamales for sale in the local mercado latino, I knew right away what the perfect Christmas breakfast would be. Tamales de elote can be eaten as lunch or dinner, plated elegantly on a thin layer of salsa verde and drizzled with crema.

Or they can be found at street markets, like the one where I first tried them. Fresh off a plane from Seattle, I wandered the market overdue for breakfast. The sweet corn tamales smelled so good, I couldn't resist - and what a revelation!

Most of the time, one finds tamales of simple masa harina filled with savory or spicy meat or cheese mixtures. Whether in an open air market, at home, or in a restaurant, the sweet corn variety are a rare find. For me they will also be a treat, and especially good as a late morning breakfast.