In this class, participants will learn the fundamental skills of making sweet, flavored tamales from scratch. From dry maize to delicious warm corn husk wrapped tamales. During this hands-on class, you will learn the different stages of preparing your own masa by learning how to nixtamalize dry maize, grind, and prepare a sweet vegan chocolate masa. Participants will get to taste the fluffy cake–like tamales and take some home if you do not eat them all in class. Special guest, Marlene Aguilar of Irekuarhikua.

About the Chef 

Marlene Aguilar, is Xicana and of P’urhepecha descent, born and raised in Tongva territory (in what is now known as East Los Angeles, CA) with roots in the inter-mountain valley region of Michoacán, Mexico. As a community-based cocinera, she draws inspiration from her campesin@ family, but has also been shaped by her work in different food equity programs, specifically CSAs (community supported agriculture). She is founder of the food project, IREKUARHIKUA, which aims to offer seasonally inspired affordable plant-based meals while highlighting the resilience of indigenous foods. Her project is currently offering a meal prep service like comida corrida from fondas or cocinas económicas found throughout Mexico.