PHOTO REPORT: Making tamales

There is no Christmas without tamales in Costa Rica. To  get into the holiday spirit, Tico Times photographer Alberto Font visited La Flor de Aserrí, a “tamalera” in the town of Aserrí, south of San José, to witness the making of tamales.

During the Christmas season, this small factory makes 2,000 tamales a day, allowing it to become one of the largest vendors of tamales in the country. Owner Marcos Solis says he learned the art of making tamales years ago, while working for tamalera La Valverde, one of the first tamaleras in Aserrí.

Solis supervises the process of making the tamales from start to finish, and has a staff of around 20 people. The secret for making a great tamal: “A lot of love in what we do, cleanliness in the whole process, and respect among employees”, Solis says.