When Gonzala Ruiz began making tamales for her Austin family Christmas gatherings in the 1920s, little did she realize that her recipe would serve so many generations.
The tamalada, the get together of making tamales, is a labor of love for her extended family.
Now it expands generations and last names – Ruiz, Tyler, Stern, Ancira and Madonna. Every year they get together to make 250 dozen perfect tamales.
In keeping with Mexican tradition, they'll serve the cornmeal treats to their extended family on Christmas Eve.
“Christmas Day we'll have turkey and dressing, but on Christmas Eve we have to have tamales,” Carmen Salas Tyler said.
It's no simple task. The objective is quality, not just quantity.
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Tamales
This extended family comes together during the holidays to make tamales.
 
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"We always struggle with that every year because we all want to test-taste the masa, work it a little more," Ruth Madonna said.
The chief taste-tester is Tia Esther, one of the family matriarchs who has the closest ties to the family's original tamale recipe.
Everything that goes into these tamales starts with the recipe. It’s been a guarded family secret was first used more than 80 years ago.
"My aunt took us aside and said ‘this is it.’ We tried to commit it to memory, but we committed it to writing first. And we've learned that this isn't really a recipe, it's a process," Esther said.
The process has become a right of passage for the younger women in the family. With time and dedication they must earn their seat at the table.
"Hopefully one day I'll be able to fill it, and my girls will be able to fill it. It's just such a strong thing, it would be so sad if it were lost," Caitlin Tyler, 22, said.
It's a tradition not likely to be lost anytime soon. It's been passed down for generations, just like the recipe for the perfect tamale.
