Rebel Rebel is very excited to feature “Tintos y Tamales,” a night of pairing a few wines with the tamales from La Todosantera Mayan & Guatemala Cuisine at Nibble Kitchen. Come celebrate your holiday season with Rebel Rebel & Nibble Kitchen, on Thursday December 11th, by grabbing a Tamale plate or Chuchito from Chef Benita at Nibble and bringing it over to Rebel and enjoying a glass or two of our specially selected wines for your meal.
A note from Tori of Rebel Rebel:
Unwrapping a tamal is like unwrapping a gift–carefully peeling apart the warm banana leaf or corn husk to reveal the steaming masa dough. The surprises continue once you cut into the dough and reveal the aromatic stewed meats and veggies inside. As a latina (Chapina to be exact, my dad is from Guatemala) working in wine, I am always dreaming up scenarios in which to pair wine with our food. For me, wine has always felt like a beverage to pair with fine dining foods–at upscale restaurants and expensive pairing dinners, often with French or other European cuisine. But what if we began to see the accessibility & exciting possibilities of pairing wine with foods like tacos or tamales? It also feels fitting to be doing this during the holidays, because despite their humble appearance, tamales are a labor of love. A long labor of love usually done during the holiday season or for a special occasion. Come join us to celebrate the gift of culture!
A note from Nibble Kitchen:
Tamales de Puerco - Chef Benita's traditional Guatemalan Tamales de Puerco start with succulent pork short rib braised in Recado, a classic tomato-based stew full of toasted chilies, aromatics, and fresh herbs. The short rib and Recado stew is then encased in a light masa harina (corn flour) shell flavored with chicken consomé and wrapped in a vibrant green Mashan leaf. The highly-aromatic Mashan leaf adds a bright herbaceousness compared to the traditional Mexican tamal wrapped in a corn husk.
Chuchitos de Pollo - The Guatemalan Chuchito has many similarities to a tamal, but it's the differences that set it apart! Starting with the same Recado stew base, Chef Benita gently braises and shreds chicken breast before wrapping the mixture in the masa harina shell. This time wrapped in a thin corn husk instead of the Mashan leaf, Chuchitos are cooked with very little water, resulting in a tamal that is more baked than steamed, and producing a crispy exterior while maintaining the delicate stewed chicken interior.Plates include 2 tamales per order and are served with braised black beans or pickled cabbage slaw.
Guests are welcome to order 1 of each to see how these key differences set tamales and chuchitos apart!