15lbs chicken, 10lbs carne, 32oz mole paste, 400oz crushed tomatoes, 60oz ea of black beans and corn, 22.5lbs masa harina, 96oz shortening, 320oz vegetable broth, 60oz corn husks, 15lbs cheese, plus amounts of carrots, roast peppers, onions, squash, and red/green food coloring to dye the raffia strips that tie it all together, so to speak=about 400 tamales. New this year were vinyl gloves from my med kit so that my hands weren't also dyed red and green for a week.
This year I really, really tried to find local and organic everything--did reasonably well, considering I had no idea where to go for anything. The project completely overwhelmed my tiny kitchen. I listened to endless amounts of NPR. Even the boring BBC stuff. If it was on last week, I heard it. Several times.
At least Zooey had some fun.
And I was able to use the garage for extra cold storage since it was so stinkin' cold--seriously, it was colder outside than inside the fridge. Once I get them all distributed, I'll stash a bag in my freezer for myself--it should be about 4 months or so before I'm able to look at them again. I know I say it every year, but next time I am seriously recruiting help. The happy looks I get when I give them take some of the weary ache out of my neck and shoulder muscles too...See the whole process, including Zooey's invaluable oversight here.
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