Its beginning to look a lot like Christmas....

I got my "tree" up. Or rather it is suctioned to the back window with lights and decorations. I also have a garland of lights with pine cones strung across one interior wall above the kitchen sink. My final touch is a lighted green wreath just as you enter the door. I flanked the tree with Mr and Mrs Snowman and even have hung stockings on the mantle above the fireplace.   As I write this, I have a jazz Christmas CD playing in the background for added effect.  This is my home and it is now ready for the Christmas Gift Season. But something is missing! Hold on! I just got several gifts in the mail and have placed them by the tree. All is now ready.

During the nine days before Christmas, many Spanish speaking Catholics reenact Joseph and Mary's search for lodging.  Costumed figures walk through the neighborhood with Mary riding a donkey, knocking at doors, and are refused entrance. At the last place they are welcomed, and a party with piñatas and food begins. I am helping the Lutheran church I attend to prepare the food for this event here in the upper Rio Grande Valley. Today, I have spent the morning making tamales from scratch. Or at least putting them together. It is a family affair and a 90 year Hispanic grandmother, her sister, a son and granddaughter taught me how to do it and I am going to show you.
This is the food we will have here at this church (the place where all will gather to provide shelter for Joseph and Mary) the last stop or Inn stable.

It very simple to make. All one needs to make 40 dozen tamales is ground corn or masa, a hogs head, (thats right a hogs head), 20 # shredded roasted pork, 5 # lard, corn husks for packaging meat mixture and lots of conversation to pass the time. Oh the key thing is the elderly grandmother who would taste the mixture for chili, salt, pepper,garlic, and cumin flavors. She also would test the texture and consistence of the lard and corn dough. Its a matter of experience. She was cute and in charge for sure!

The corn masa was shaped in to a shallow bowl and juices from the previous nights pork roasting and hogs head rendering was poured into the depression and kneaded.

 Next lard (and lots of it) was added along with the seasonings until the corn dough was the right consistency.(I actual did this until I got tired and another took-over!) It is spreadable, like a thick cheese spread. The final test was the grandmother would make a small ball of the mixture the size of a marble and place it in a cup of lukewarm water. If it floated it was ready.
While this process is going on the meat is separated from the bones and shredded. One just has to make sure that all bone, cartilage, eyeballs, ears and such (the stuff that added flavor but does not digest well) are discarded.  The corn husk are soaked in a warm solution of water in the kitchen sink until the texture is soft and pliable but not tearable.

 I was asked by my mentor the grandmother to taste the corn mixture for seasonings. When I suggested that more chili powder was needed and not salt, she gave me a quick smile of agreement.   I felt like I had won the lottery. The corn mixture layer is then spread on the corn husk. A meat pile is placed on this layer and then rolled up like a crescent roll. The final cooking will take place by steaming the rolled tamales till done.
I was on my feet for 3 hrs with a few others doing this. My back hurts from leaning over the prep table and feet ache from standing, but I do look forward to eating tomorrow. Now to check out the hot tub.....