Dreamscapes Travel & Lifestyle Magazine
Issue link: http://read.dreamscapes.ca/i/586302
DREAMSCAPES FALL/ WINTER 2015 36 IT WAS WHEN I WAS UP TO MY WRISTS IN TAMALE DOUGH—A MIXTURE OF CORN FLOUR, LARD, WATER AND SALT—THAT I FIRST TAPPED INTO THE SAN ANTONIO VIBE. I was mixing the dough by hand under the careful instruction of Gloria Solis at the Witte Museum, where visitors can take a range of hands-on work- shops throughout the year. It was my first full day in the second- largest city in Texas. The day before, I'd checked into the JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa, a sprawling resort on the city's northern fringe. The 1,002-room property, home to two golf courses, a 2,415-square-metre spa and a big water park, is definitely Texas-sized. How- ever, despite the local products in its restaurants and bars, I didn't quite have a sense of San Antonio yet. But then I made tamales. I'd never tasted one before—never even seen one—so perhaps it's no surprise that mine came out a bit mushy and mutant. When Solis described how tamale making is a long-time tradition in many families, with comadres (godmothers) coaching several generations through a day-long process, I didn't feel so bad for not getting the hang of it in a couple of hours. REASON TO CELEBRATE Tamales are something of a religion in San Antonio. Everyone seems to have a favourite style (sweet or savoury) and vendor. I tried a wide range during the annual Tamales! Hol- iday Festival, a raucous December event where hungry diners move like swarms of locusts from stand to stand, sampling as many varieties as they can. The tamales were good, but my favourite dish, by far, was avo- cado fries from the Tailgate Bistro food truck, deep-fried in a crisp crust and served with salsa. Heaven on a paper plate. SAN ANTONIO SHOWPIECES BY LAURA BYRNE PAQUET TOP: The San Antonio River Walk is the No. 1 attraction in Texas. Stuart Dee OPPOSITE TOP: The San Antonio Missions embody nearly 300 years of history and culture. Bob Howen OPPOSITE MIDDLE: Freshly prepared tamales are ready for cooking. Laura Byrne Paquet OPPOSITE BOTTOM: Gloria Solis (in green) describes how tamale making is a long- time tradition. Laura Byrne Paquet