Embracing my Inner Latin

I have a good friend named Shayla.  Shayla's dad served his mission in Guatemala and fell in love with Xela (pronounced like Shayla, only less "aaaaayyy").  He wanted to name his daughter Xela but his mother wouldn't let one of her granddaughters have an X in her name.  Anyway, Shayla loves to cook.  It took like three years but we finally became real friends.  You know, the type of friends that actually hang out with each other.  

I don't know when but sometime during one of our many adventures we got talking about Guatemalan tamales.  I told her that one day I would learn how to make them and teach her.  Here's the thing about Shayla.  She holds you to what you say you're going to do.  And she never forgets!!  

So over Christmas break last year, Shayla reminded me to watch my mom and take good notes so we could make the tamales.  As you know, my new word this year was "gratitude".  Part of being grateful includes embracing the diverse culture I'm from.  I decided it was time I learned from my mother how to continue with our tamale tradition.

Two weekends after my parents left, that is exactly what Shayla and I did.  We made Guatemalan tamales and you know what?  IT. WAS. FUN!  It wasn't as hard as I anticipated.  I just need to be better prepared next time.  Yes, there will definitely be a next time.

Well poop!  I wanted to to share pictures but I didn't realize the only picture I have is the actual tamale.

It's not as exciting without the pictures.  

My  mom had extra rice flour that she sent home with me.  Thankfully, I didn't have to grind it.  That would have been way too much work.  We all know I'm lazy.  

Let's see....I really do wish I had the pictures.  I asked my aunt if there was a Guatemalan store I could get the leaves at.  She gave me an address downtown.  I decided to go on a Thursday night but the place was super sketchy and I was too scared to get out of the car.  I went Saturday morning instead and still was a little freaked but managed okay.  I don't really like going to places where the primary group of people are Hispanics.  I feel out of place.  Weird, I know since I'm one of them.  I'm more of a coconut though.  Brown  on the outside and white on the inside.    

Here's the picture:

Honestly, I was pretty impressed with how they turned out.  They were delicious and looked just like my mom's!  The taste wasn't exactly the same.  I also felt pretty proud of myself for actually doing it.  It was great!

Of course you always want people to try them and see what they think.  Shayla loved them!  Marianne and Val (Marianne's mom) tried them and loved them!  I invited Stephanie to try one also.  She loved it.  She brought her roommate Haley and she tried one too.  I also invited Matt.  Matt is this boy I met at ward prayer a week before.  He sat next to me during sacrament meeting and asked how the tamales had turned out.  I thought it was nice of him to remember (I received a group text about getting lunch Saturday with a few people in our ward and told them I couldn't go because I was making tamales).  He was the only one that asked about it so I thought I would see if he wanted to try one.  Plus, one of my roommates a few weeks earlier had pointed him out during FHE.  She said, "Matt looks real attractive right now."  He was wearing a hat and I guess she really liked that.  I figured inviting him over to try one was the least I could do for her to encourage that situation along.  He ended up coming over and it was just the two of us for awhile.  I hadn't planned on that so I was a little nervous but it was fine.  He's pretty easy to talk to and I noticed his eyes.  I think that's when I realized why my roommate finds him attractive.  He has blue eyes!  

We had other people come over for games that night and he stayed.  Overall, I think the tamale making and Sunday evening turned out great.

Oh, and I did save two for my parents.  I wanted them to try some from the very first batch I ever made!