Filed under: Books, Cookbook of the Day

I know of a guy in the LA area who is often referred to simply as "the tamale guy." He heads out with freshly prepared tamales every morning, cruising by the spots where his loyal customers are waiting to grab one for breakfast and maybe another couple for lunch. They're so good that I've spotted him hanging outside the back of well-known Mexican restaurants, chatting with the chefs, who are invariably eating one of his tamales instead of they ones they're making inside. Now, you might not get results as impressive as the tamale guy's tamales, but everyone has to start somewhere and Tamales 101: A Beginner's Guide to Making Traditional Tamales can provide a good basis in technique to get you off on the right foot. The book walks you through the process of making tamales, including working with masa and learning how to wrap the corn husks properly, and provides plenty of recipes for sauces and fillings. Some of the combinations are traditional, while variations like Greek and Vegetable Curry tamales will keep you coming back to the book even on days when you don't feel like eating Mexican food.