Tamales will be steaming and tequila will be flowing at a unique tamale tasting event happening Sunday, April 26. Guests at the third annual ‘A Taste of Tamales by the Bay’ will sample fifteen different varieties of tamales from some of the finest tamale makers in Northern California. Tamales in Oaxacan,

Yucatán, Salvadoran, Chilean and other styles will be represented as well non-traditional tamales created by Lito Saldaña, owner of Cocina Poblana restaurant in Oakland’s Jack London Square.

Lito will not only be representing the East Bay at the tamale event in San Francisco, but also a non-traditional style of Mexican food that merges traditional colonial flavors with modern techniques and trends.

“We’re doing something that is not traditional but people love the idea and the taste,” says Lito.  With no meat or other fillings inside the tamale, they are both different and practical. Mole, grilled chicken, vegetables or other creations are placed on top of a fresh corn tamale with banana leaf or corn leaf below. “People see the presentation of it and they get excited – they’ve never seen it before,” says Lito. “People will think this is not Mexican food, but it is - this is home-style food.”

Lito will be treating event attendees with several different tamales, including his popular steamed banana leaf tamales topped with braised spare ribs in a green tomatillo and chile sauce. His tamales also have a healthy, modern focus with olive oil used instead of lard and high quality ingredients.
The tamale event will benefit the Benchmark Institute, a nonprofit organization that teaches advocates in nonprofits how to use the law to help low-income communities.

"Since 1999 we have served tamales at our fundraising dinners and know how difficult it can be to find excellent, commercially prepared tamales - that experience led us to this event," says Rosemary French, President of Benchmark Institute.

 Throughout the event margarita experts will battle in a margarita making competition with prizes for the winners in Classic Margarita and Tequila Cocktail categories. Attendees will be able to sample each of the margaritas in the competition. Lito and his bar manager Ivan will be serving tamarindo margaritas and a new cactus margarita. The cactus is boiled and then blended with pineapple , tequila, sugar, and agave syrup.

Tequila will also be among the prizes in the event raffle that will provide opportunities to win JetBlue Airways roundtrip travel for two; Partida Tequila’s Elegante Añejo Tequila; and a Whole Foods Mexican Food Basket.

Marta Mora and Marie Contreras of Benchmark Institute are coordinating the event. The two have spent time over the past year sampling the Bay Area's best tamales and asking vendors to share their delicious creations. "We even invited a dozen friends to help us with tamale tasting - it was fun and we learned a lot,” said Marie. “We want the people who come to this event to have that same kind of experience."

‘A Taste of Tamales by the Bay’ happens Sunday, April 26 from 12:00 Noon to 4:30PM at the Conference Center at Fort Mason (Buchanan @ Marina Blvd.) in San Francisco. Tickets: Adults $35 by April 18, $40 after April 18. Children 6-12 $15, children under 6 free with adult admission. Purchase tickets online at www.tamalesbythebay.org  or call 415-695-9296.