… my true love said to me: TAMALES!
In accordance with the tradition we began on New Year’s Day last year, tamales were the order of the day. Last year we did so on December 31, getting them from an Echo Park panderia on Sunset Boulevard, but this year being a day late we discovered that place was closed and had to find another tamale hook-up, which turned out to be the Spanish-speaking-only extablishment of Tamale Alberto on Temple Street in the Historic Fililipinotown (or “Hi-Fi”) section of the city.
Once there Susan stocked up on a baker’s dozen of beef and chicken tamales (they were out of pork), and we ended up eating not a one because mom came over in the early afternoon with New Year’s meal traditions of her own: a crock pot full of Hoppin’ John, dishes of collard and turnip greens, home-made corn bread, and a pork roast just for kicks.
All of it exquisite and enjoyed while watching the Redskins beat the Eagles. But don’t mourn the tamales or chastise us as wasteful. We’ll be chowing down on them tomorrow after our first hike of 2006 (up from Fern Dell to Mt. Hollywood) rain or shine. Besides, Susan says they’re better a day later anyway.
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