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Tamale Tradition Remains Hot In East LA At Holiday Time

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com)  —   Eating tamales on Christmas is a true tradition for many families. In the Latino culture, it's been a tradition hundreds of years in the making.

CBS2's Brittney Hopper went to Tamales Liliana's, where they were serving up the tasty treats fast and furious.

She was there all day and the line has been consistently long. In fact, the line goes all the way around the corner and down the street.

Thousands of tamales made just in time for Christmas and thousands of people to scoop them up.

"It's just part of being with family, get together and we always have tamales and sweet bread," said one man.

Tamales Liliana's has been serving the community for 24 years with their homemade tamales. Before the East LA restaurant was even built the owner sold his tamales on the street corner.

Now, every year around the holidays, the line is out the door, around the corner and down the street. Many people are waiting in line for more than an hour.

"I'm here. I'm locked in. And my wife doesn't want me to come home without them" said another tamales fan.

The restaurant makes 10,000 tamales daily around the holidays -- many ordering dozens at a time. Some bring their own coolers to fit their tamales in. The delicious masa is filled with different meats or just cheese and chilies, served with love and pure joy.

And they can be enjoyed morning, noon and night.

"Tamales in the morning with eggs and beans. Then at night again. You cant go wrong with a good Mexican Christmas tradition," said one man.

Good news for folks who couldn't make it today -- Liliana's will be open tomorrow and on Christmas day.

For more about the restaurant, click here.

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