Looking for tamales for holiday celebrations? Three local Merced spots to try
Tamales, the traditional Latin American dish, becomes more popular during the cold winter months, particularly during the holidays.
The dish itself is simple: a corn dough, with a filling, that is wrapped in corn husks or banana leaves and then steamed.
They can be sweet, savory, or spicy. They are inexpensive.
And although some people make them at home, there are plenty of places in Merced to buy them.
Here are three places in Merced that offer three different types of tamales:
La Casita, 770 W 14th St.
The casual eatery uses a technique called nixtamalization to make its tamale dough from scratch.
Nixtamalization is an ancient technique in which field corn is boiled in limewater. The process removes the grain’s hull, which is then washed thoroughly, dried, and eventually ground to make masa flour.
Romelia Nava, who owns La Casita, said December is their busiest month for tamale and tamale dough sales.
Price: $2 per tamale, $27.50 per dozen, $1.99 per pound of nixtamal dough
Filling options: pork in red sauce, pork in green sauce, chicken in green sauce, roasted peppers and cheese, beef, pineapple
Panaderia Olmos and Pupusas, 47 E 16th St.
This bakery specializes in Guatemalan, Mexican and Salvadoran bites and pastries.
Guatemalan tamales traditionally are wrapped in banana leaves, while Mexican tamales are commonly steamed in corn husks.
Banana leaf-wrapped tamales are often sweeter and more moist than those wrapped in corn husks. (It also comes down to personal preference.)
Chuchitos, which are available at Pandaderia Olmos, are a miniature type of Guatemalan tamale wrapped in a corn husk. The ends of each tamale are tied using the thinned strips of dried corn husks which marks the aesthetically distinct presentation of the chuchito. Recado, a tomato and red chili-based sauce, is one of the staple fillings in chuchitos.
Price: $3 per tamale (Mexican), $4 per tamale (Guatemalan), $30 per dozen (Mexican), $40 per dozen (Guatemalan)
Filling options: pork in red sauce, pork in green sauce, chicken in green sauce, chicken in red sauce, roasted peppers and cheese
El Sabor de Oaxaca, 900 Loughborough Drive, Suite E
Oaxaca is a state in the southern region of Mexico recognized for its gastronomical wealth. Yoceli Hernandez said her family opened their restaurant less than a year ago to satisfy a demand for traditional Oaxacan food.
The Oaxacan black mole tamales are cooked in banana leaves, and the ingredients for the sauce are imported from Oaxaca. The thick black mole paste is a medley of nuts, spices, peppers, chocolate and herbs. Spicy and non-spicy black mole tamales are available.
Price: $3.78 per tamale (banana leaf), $3.24 per tamale (corn husk), $45.36 per dozen (banana leaf), $38.88 per dozen (corn husk)
Filling options: black mole sauce with chicken, pork or chicken in green sauce, pork or chicken in red sauce, roasted peppers with chicken, sweet corn
Customers at are encouraged to call at least two days ahead for large orders. For example, an order should be placed on Dec. 22. to be ready on Christmas Eve.
This story was originally published December 19, 2024 at 10:45 AM.