Eats Beat: Tamale sellers offer Christmas spirit by the dozen

The tamale factories are busy.

“People are driving in from West Texas for tamales, but then restaurants call and they’re running short, too,” a very swamped Gloria Cardona said Sunday, rushing back and forth for more tamales and chips at Cardona Foods in north Fort Worth.

Cardona, an 80-year Fort Worth business, is a tortilla factory that also serves lunch in the lobby six days a week.

The company’s tamales, tortillas or chips are served in familiar settings such as Campo Verde, the Christmas-light phenomenon at the west edge of Arlington, and Fort Worth’s The Original Mexican Restaurant.

But around noon, diners come to the factory for fresh Cardona lunches. One day this week, customers at the next table downed combo plates and then bought a huge case of tamales to go.

Santa greeted diners and took Christmas toy orders, and the cafe offered complimentary cookies and eggnog.

This week, Cardona will stay open through rush hour to sell dinners to-go, pork tamales, tortillas and red-and-green or spicy chips.

The cafe is usually open for lunch weekdays, and breakfast and lunch Sundays; 850 Meacham Blvd. at Farm Road 156, 817-625-6477, facebook.com/cardonafoods.

From Braum’s to barbecue

Rodriguez Foods, which makes both beef and pork tamales, is another reliable source for the holidays.

Rodriguez sells tamales in bulk (five dozen or more) at the factory, 2901 Decatur Ave. The same tamales are sold by the dozen ($3.99) in the refrigerated case at most local Braum’s Ice Cream & Dairy Stores.

Hot Damn, Tamales! was named Texas Monthly’s best for mail-order tamales a few years ago, and orders were still pouring in last weekend.

The ancho pork or poblano chicken tamales are the top sellers, but a new favorite is the “Cowboy” filled with barbecued brisket.

Hot Damn, Tamales! is open until 6 p.m. weekdays and 3 p.m. Christmas Eve. It reopens Monday after a weekend’s rest; 713 W. Magnolia Ave., 817-523-1836, hotdamntamales.com.

Other good tamale sources: Esperanza’s Bakery & Cafe in Fort Worth, Mariposa’s Latin Kitchen in Fort Worth, Marquez Bakery & Tortilla Factory in Arlington and all Pulido’s restaurants.

Cookies for Santa

Also busy: bakeries.

The top-of-the-line Black Rooster Bakery in Fort Worth will be open until 4 p.m. daily through Christmas Eve, but go early for a better selection.

The Rooster now posts the menu daily on Facebook, and often sells out.

Recent choices have included coconut, chocolate, cherry or cranberry-apple pies, but they vary daily.

It’s at 2430 Forest Park Blvd., 817-924-1600, roosterbakery.com. (The Rooster will take a holiday next week.)

Blue Bonnet Bakery bakes 15 pies by order and usually has a few available, along with Fort Worth’s most familiar holiday cookies; 4705 Camp Bowie Blvd., 817-731-4233, bluebonnetbakery.com.

McKinley’s Bakery in Fort Worth will be open till 4 p.m. Christmas Eve, but gets crowded late. Go early; 1616 S. University Drive, 817-332-3242, mckinleysbakery.com.

Ultimate Cupcake in Hudson Oaks is selling holiday eggnog-rum or créme de menthe cupcakes along with regular flavors. It’s open until 3 p.m. or sellout through Christmas Eve; 3316 Fort Worth Highway, 817-596-9090, ultimatecupcake.com.

A bit farther west, the Original Fried Pie Shop will be open regular hours through Christmas Eve inside Baker’s Ribs, 1921 S. Main St., Weatherford; 817-599-4229, bakersribs.com/location/weatherford.

This story was originally published December 21, 2015 at 12:11 PM with the headline "Eats Beat: Tamale sellers offer Christmas spirit by the dozen."