I've been doing a bit of investigative work.....pricing and taste testing tamales other people have for sale! Rough gig, huh? Just checking the competition and making sure the product I'm offering truly is the best. No joking....that's where my passion for food comes in. I have to offer the best.
The first place sold a dozen green corn tamales (what I call my green chile tamales) for $23.00. Really? That's pricey to me! They have to be fabulous, right? So I got one. First thing that hit me was the smell. It was missing. I mean, green corn tamales have a very distinctive and fragrant smell after being steamed. Not these though. Nothing. The masa was light and fluffy (man would I like to know the secret of how they did THAT) but light and fluffy sacrificed a major component....taste. Texture is all well and good, and one key element of good cooking, but if it has no taste then what is there to make you want and crave more? No cheese explosion inside and no strips of fire roasted green chiles. Huh. Puzzled. Michael says that the tamales fly out of the restaurant too - only I don't get it.
The next one I tried was at a local farmer's market. She was selling her green corn tamales for $20.00 a dozen. Really?? Am I underpricing mine (at $15.00 per dozen)?? As she pulled my tamale from her steamer (which I totally covet!!) the intense green corn masa smell hit me and my mouth started instantly watering. Hopeful....I'm hopeful! I tore off the husk and dug in. Again with no cheese and one puny strip of green chile. Sigh. The masa was more flavorful than the other sample, but nowhere near mine. It definitely had better salt flavor. No chunks of fresh corn though.
The taste testing was definitely worth it. Now I really want to get the tamale production going! Mine have fresh sweet corn, green chiles, sour cream and butter in the masa. The masa creates a flavor package around fresh roasted green chile and ooey-gooey cheese!!
I totally stand by my product and the price.
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