SOUTHWEST DETROIT – When you think of Mexican heritage in the D, you think of Southwest Detroit. There, you can get your fill of culture and, of course, food! One business that has been around for over 50 years has become the cornerstone for tamales in the neighborhood, Tamaleria Nuevo Leon. So what is a tamaleria?
"Tamaleria means tamale factory in Spanish," explains owner Susana Garza Villarreal. "Nuevo Leon is the state in Mexico where my parents are from, which is in Northern Mexico."
The business produces hundreds of tamales every single day, and they store too many to even count. Tamales are a traditional Mexican dish made with masa, or corn dough, and a filling.
"The traditional is pork," says Susana. "So any place you go to, and you ask for a tamale and don't say nothing else, they'll give you pork."
At Tamaleria Nuevo Leon, though, they have everything from pork, chicken, and refried bean filled to sweet tamales. The tradition goes back to Susana's mom.
"My mom started making tamales in 1957 " says Susana. "She started making them because my dad, at that time, was working at Great Lakes Steel and - I wasn't born yet, OK- and they had gone on strike, and when you go on strike, you don't get no pay. So she had to make ends meet and my mom was one proud woman, she would not ask for money from nobody, so she started making tamales and selling them to her friends, and then word got out."
Her mom saved up her money and opened her first store at 2661 Bagley. In 1978, the building was sold and the tamaleria moved into its current location at 2669 Vernor Hwy.
Twenty years ago, Susana returned to Detroit to help out with the family business, and never looked back.
"It's from the heart, I love talking to people. If I can make you smile, that made my day," says Susana.
For more information on Tamaleria Nuevo Leon, visit its Facebook page here.