"You can tell that tamal season is here by the long lines at the shop in front of a 10,000 square-foot tamal factory on Van Nuys Boulevard, at the beginning of Pacoima’s Chicano restaurant row. Old school Mexican-American flavors of green and red salsas fuel a range of fillings from meats, pineapple, chile, and cheese, to sweet corn and vegetarian that satisfy their San Fernando Valley customers, as well as tamal lovers nationwide." - Bill Esparza