Tamales are an essential and ancient Mexican dish – 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 a beloved part of many Holy Week and Easter celebrations. Join Iván Wadgymar of Maizal for a fun, hands-on class 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.

As a local grower, miller and processor of artisanal Mexican corn, beans and chiles Iván 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.

You'll be making Tamales de Rajas (Poblano Pepper) and Tamales Verdes (chicken in salsa verde), as well as a fresh Salsa Verde Cruda. There will be tamales to snack on in class, and everyone gets to take home the tamales they make, along with all the recipes. ----- 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 -----