When the weather starts to cool, Christmas nears, and you see more feet stuck in UGGs, you can assume that tamaleros in L.A. are trying their damnedest to churn out tamales as quickly as people can order them.
Since tamales are so popular during the holiday season, corn husk prices always spike around this time of year. That’s to be expected as La Virgen de Guadalupe’s birthday, Christmas, New Year's Eve, Día de Los Reyes, and Día de la Candelaría fill our calendars.
However, tamaleros in L.A. are noticing bizarrely high jumps in costs this year.
The Irra Lorenzo family has been in the tamal industry for 30 years now, famous for running Tamales Elena y Antojitos in Watts. One of five daughters, Teresa Irra Lorenzo operates the family’s tamal truck full-time.
“Corn husk has been an uphill battle for us the past year, to keep our prices affordable for our customers. We went from paying $75 for a pack of corn husks to paying $175-$200 for a pack. Prices went up December of last year and never went back down again,” Irra Lorenzo says.