Colorado woman shares Christmas tamale tradition with her community

For many Latino families, tamales are a Christmas staple. One woman in Parker is taking her family's tradition from Mexico and making delicious tamales for the community.

Ollie Casaretto said she started her business in 2021 making tamales for special occasions and catering. Word of her business then grew on social media.

Her former boss and mentor, who's the owner of Indochine Thai & Vietnamese Restaurant now allows her to use the restaurant's industrial kitchen in order to make those tamales. Casaretto said the community's response has been amazing.

Although you can find a variety of fillings, this delicious comfort food often includes beans, cheese, seasoned meat, and other fillings inside a corn flour dough. The bundle is wrapped in a corn husk or banana leaves and steamed.

The process of making tamales is labor intensive and is often part of family Christmas traditions in Latin America. A tamalada gives families the chance to spend time together, turning the work into a party celebrating their traditions and culture.

"(It) definitely is something that binds families together. I never knew something we did back home would be so big here," said Casaretto.