Where Should I Buy Tamales for Christmas in the Bay Area? | Eater SF

"In North Oakland I love the takeout-window tamales at Tamaleria Azteca, where Sergio Gomez has been hawking these corn-husk–wrapped beauties for more than a decade (the spot used to be run by his mother as Tamaleria Unicos de Cuernavaca). The standout is the masa — perhaps the fluffiest and most savory I’ve had, thanks to a liberal use of lard — and the pork tamal is almost unrivaled, especially when drizzled with Azteca’s good red salsa that comes in a little plastic baggy. My colleague Elazar Sontag is partial to the “special,” in which the tamal of your choice is topped with an abundance of lettuce and sour cream and served with a side of rice and beans. For the holidays they’re taking orders ($35 for a dozen) with a deadline to order by December 20 for pickup on the 24th or 25th, and if you order enough you can request off-menu options like their much-praised (but rarely offered) sweet pineapple tamales." - Luke Tsai