Tamales are an integral part of not only the Mexican culture and diet, but they are an important part of holiday celebrations in the county. Dating back as early as 8000 to 5000 BC, with the Aztec and Maya cultures, tamales are as Mexican as Mexico itself.
Tamales are lovingly made by hand with corn dough, called masa, which is steamed or boiled in a dried corn husk, which serves as an organic wrapper, put aside before eating. Tamales can be made of simple plain masa, but often cheese, vegetables, beef, chicken, or pork are added, and served with a green or red salsa. Around the holidays or for special occasions, like weddings or birthdays, sweet tamales are sometimes stuffed with dried fruits. Or you may find tamales made in the Aztec or Maya tradition with exotic fillings like turkey, frog meat, gopher, or rabbit at special pre-Hispanic dinners in restaurants.
Though tamales are rather simple to make at home, most Mexicans will purchase them from their favorite vendor and vendors will make tamales in batches of several hundred at a time. And you will find that most Mexicans have very strong opinions about who makes the best tamales, so ask your Mexican neighbors for their suggestions for the best tamales in Puerto Vallarta and have a taste of this delicious Mexican tradition.