Not many people know that on St. Patrick’s day, Mexicans honor the San Patricios, the St. Patricks Brigade of Irish soldiers who died fighting for Mexico in the Mexican American War of 1846 -1848. Interesting tidbits of Mexican culture and history are just a part of this fun, hands-on workshop with Iván Wadgymar of Maizal where you will learn how to make delicious tamales from scratch using traditional, freshly ground masa de maiz instead of the industrial maseca (dried corn flour) that many recipes call for.

Tamales are an essential and ancient Mexican dish enjoyed for this occasion – soft cornmeal masa (dough) stuffed with a flavourful filling, wrapped in corn husks and steamed. Portable and self-contained, tamales are a popular street food with countless variations found all across Mexico, and - in addition to St. Patrick's Day - are a beloved part of many Holy Week and Easter celebrations.

You'll be making Tamales de Hongos en Salsa Verde (Mushroom) and Tamales de Pollo con Mole (Chicken). There will be tamales to snack on in class, and everyone gets to take home the tamales they make, along with all the recipes.

As a local grower, miller and processor of artisanal Mexican corn, beans and chiles, Iván's connection to Mexican culinary traditions runs much deeper than most. More than just recipes and techniques, you will learn about the roots of the ingredients and traditions in Mexican and cuisine — literally what puts the culture in agriculture.
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Iván Wadgymar is a tortillero and molinero who runs Maizal, a tortilleria that evolved from a Mexican restaurant into an end-to-end producer of artisanal corn masa, tortillas & totopos. They grow heritage maize locally, nixtamalize it in traditional ways and produce products that seek to reconnect to centuries of cultural tradition and wisdom. @maizalto ----