Hot tamale

It would have been good to have a "hot" theme for the whole month of January. I could alternate between complaining about 45-degree highs and gloating over 68-degree highs. Too bad I didn't think of it earlier. Truly I am sorry for all of you who are suffering through snow days and cold temps right now. If it makes you feel any better, I sort of think next January I will probably be suffering with you. I am loath to leave California but kind of excited to move. True confession: I am stockpiling boxes in the garage. I should probably start looking at parkas on clearance.

So here is what I was really going to write about.

If you ever come visit me here, come on a Saturday of a holiday weekend. We will go to the Food4Less parking lot and find the tamale lady. She trolls the lot with a borrowed cart stocked with a big, blue cooler full of tamales. Four varieties now: chicken, pork (the traditional and best), chili verde (burns your guts out but soooooooo good) and sweet (I haven't tried this one). You get 12 for $10. Such a bargain! She takes checks.

We'll bring a couple dozen tamales back to my house, take them out of their fold-over sandwich bags, pop them in the oven on a cookie sheet covered with foil, make up a big green salad, pour a bowl of chips and make some guac, and gab all night. It's perfect party food.

Sounds fun, right? You are totally invited.