Anonymous wrote:I just googled the Costco tamales to see if reviews. Reviews say the El Real brand is not good but if your Costco carries either the Padrino brand or the Tucson Tamales brand, those both get rave reviews. Apparently it varies by location and I don’t know what they are getting around here. I was just at Costco and saw some but didn’t look close enough as I still have my freezer stocked with ones I flew back from Arizona. Sorry!

Costco has the corn husk wrapped ones right now. They are the good ones.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My favorite is green chile cheese. Tamales are kind of hard to pull off. Can you buy some? Can the woman who wants them bring them?

I'm sure I could buy them, but I'd rather make them,

This is a small assisted living type home for women. We will be doing all the cooking. I was thinking maybe make chile and cheese, and then some kind of meat so there would be choices.

Costco has decsnt tamales right now.

Uncle Julios tamales are actually quite good.

I just googled the Costco tamales to see if reviews. Reviews say the El Real brand is not good but if your Costco carries either the Padrino brand or the Tucson Tamales brand, those both get rave reviews. Apparently it varies by location and I don’t know what they are getting around here. I was just at Costco and saw some but didn’t look close enough as I still have my freezer stocked with ones I flew back from Arizona. Sorry!

I’m frkm Arizona. Tamales are the kind of thing that Mexican abuelas get together with their families and make over a whole day, just making that. I made them once myself and it really was a whole huge project. Even most Mexican families don’t make them homemade—during the holidays lots of older ladies set up (or have their sons set up) a roadside table and sell them that way. Most families have a local lady they buy from.
Cielo Rojo has good ones but they are wicked expensive.
I just saw frozen ones at the Safeway that actually looked decent, and Costco has some also which I think are from California so probably not bad.
Giant sometimes had the Tucson Tamalrs brand which is made in Tucson and it pretty good.

The best are green corn (which is green chili with cheese). Those are mild. The other popular one is red sauce beef. Often at Christmas people get both so you have the green and the red. Reheat them in a steamer — that’s the key. In a pinch I do them in a microwave wrapped with a wet paper towel over the corn husk but a steamer really works better.

Love tamales!

Anonymous wrote:Tamales are hard to make. You can try for 20 years and never figure out how to make them right. Even a recipe is little help. There's a learning curve.

If you really want to make them, allow plenty of time, as in an entire afternoon. Watch a few instructional videos on Youtube. Best of luck.

Only a few? 20 years of trying and you didn't figure it out so a few videos not going to do it. If the lady requesting it actually knows some things how to make it but just cant anymore, perhaps she can assist OP by sharing tips and teaching what she can to OP. ?

Tamales are hard to make. You can try for 20 years and never figure out how to make them right. Even a recipe is little help. There's a learning curve.

If you really want to make them, allow plenty of time, as in an entire afternoon. Watch a few instructional videos on Youtube. Best of luck.

Cielo Rojo in Takoma Park has good Tamales.

Anonymous wrote:We are making Thanksgiving dinner for a small group of elderly women. We've asked them to pick some favorite foods to make sure they're included, and one woman has asked for tamales.

What are your favorite kinds of tamales?

Any recipes? We're good cooks, but have never made tamales.

As a backup if yours don't go well:
Facebook marketplace?
https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/30/1287688.page#30610968

Woman wants it but may not be able to process the food easily. Go easy

She really likes to cook with us, or to sit with us while we're cooking. So, our thought is that we could bring the soaked leaves, and masa and fillings over, and she could join us while we make them and the turkey cooks.

But you're right, that we should probably have a back up. Any suggestions for where to get them? We're in Silver Spring. If ours turn out well, we can freeze the ones we buy.

We'll probably also make a "rough draft" on Tuesday for our own dinner.

Made or store bought, best to keep in a steamer so they stay hot. But not so much steam that they fall apart

I love green chili and cheese, but not all elderly can handle cheese. Traditional is red chili with pork. If you’re a good cook tamales should be fairly easy.

Nice of you to do

OP, it's awesome of you to do this, and awesome that you want to make them, but PPs are correct that tamales are tricky, and I wouldn't want to make them for the first time for guests who have indicated it's a favorite food.
We live in a area with lots of international food options. I'd recommend making a new post asking for recommendations for a good place to purchase tamales. (I was going to do this myself, thinking ahead to Christmas.)

Anonymous wrote:My favorite is green chile cheese. Tamales are kind of hard to pull off. Can you buy some? Can the woman who wants them bring them?

I'm sure I could buy them, but I'd rather make them,

This is a small assisted living type home for women. We will be doing all the cooking. I was thinking maybe make chile and cheese, and then some kind of meat so there would be choices.

My favorite is green chile cheese. Tamales are kind of hard to pull off. Can you buy some? Can the woman who wants them bring them?

We are making Thanksgiving dinner for a small group of elderly women. We've asked them to pick some favorite foods to make sure they're included, and one woman has asked for tamales.

What are your favorite kinds of tamales?

Any recipes? We're good cooks, but have never made tamales.