On Monday, there was a huge line outside the Amapola Market in Downey to pick up fresh masa, the dough needed to make tamales for the holidays.
KNX News’ Jon Baird spoke with those in line who say that making tamales for the holidays is a tradition that stems back generations.
“Our family has been making tamales for probably over 80 years,” Alicia Rosales from Santa Fe Springs told Baird. “We have the same recipes that we use here at Christmas time.”
For Sal Guiterrez of Walnut, the tradition stems back two generations.
“My mom used to make it during her December Christmas preparation for there were eight siblings and she would make tamales foright of us and and for the neighbors,” he said. “And that tradition has kept on going forward and now we're doing it. We're making tamales, but now it kind of expanded from Spanish over to Thai because I married a Thai woman and now we're making Thai tamales in a curry style. So it's a fusion of Thai and Mexican now. It took a different direction but it both tastes good.”
Karina Garcia of La Mirada told Baird after she buys masa, she and her family have a big party while making tamales.
“We get together as a family and we just have stations,” she said. “We all put it together and then steam it and it's one big party.
The wait in line to get into the market was about 45 minutes.
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