Richard Lambert knows the idea sounds a bit whimsical, but the owner of Santa Barbara Tamales To Go doesn’t think everyone need be so serious all the time.
He’s leading an effort to create a day to recognize tamales on a large scale — a National Tamale Day, which would be March 23 every year.
The date was chosen partly because it’s after the holiday season, when many Hispanic families typically eat tamales on Dec. 24.
It was also picked because March 23 is Melba Toast Day, and Lambert likes the odds of tamales overtaking the competition. Melba Toast is a thin cracker, more popular many years ago.
He created a petition to establish National Tamale Day late last year, so far collecting nearly 200 of the total 300 signatures he’s striving toward.
“It’s just sort of to remind people how good tamales are,” Lambert told Noozhawk on Monday, which happened to be March 23. “I’m always looking for ways to promote tamales.”
More than 1,200 foods have national days, Lambert said, even moldy cheese (Oct. 9).
Lambert hopes to submit 300 signatures for an official listing to the National Chase’s Calendar of Events, which produces a new book each year and accepts admissions that demonstrate enough interest.
The cause is one the Santa Barbara Region Chamber of Commerce is also backing, along with Tucson Tamales Company in Arizona and others.
“They’re incredibly good,” Scott Ericson, chamber membership director, said of Lambert’s tamales. “We certainly want to support his idea of getting a National Tamale Day. It’s starting to take off, as far as signatures.”
Lambert, who was born locally and moved back for good in the 1980s, founded Santa Barbara Tamales To Go three years ago after this local haunt stopped selling them in large quantities year round.
Although he’s always had a knack for cooking, Lambert learned to make and steam tamales enveloped in parchment paper (not corn husk) from a popular Mexico City chef.
All six flavors — three meat, three veggie — feature two black olives, ingredients added in homage to his father, an olive rancher.
With its agricultural base and Hispanic heritage, Lambert believes Santa Barbara could become the epicenter of National Tamale Day, honoring a cuisine that dates back to the Mayans.
“It’s going to help everybody,” he said of business. “It’s just a fun thing. Who doesn’t like a good tamale?
“This time next year, it’ll catch on.”
— Noozhawk staff writer Gina Potthoff can be reached at gpotthoff@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.