La Carreta Mexican Style Food Products, the home of the oldest tortilla factory in the Inland Empire, has become a center for families to gather each year during the holidays. Whether it’s for buying the ingredients to make tamales or enjoying them already made, it’s been a community gathering place for generations where long-time friends, old neighbors, and families gather to reminisce and reconnect.
Founded in 1939, La Carreta has supplied ready-made tamales as well as the fixings to make your own for four generations. A community icon in Colton, it has been family-operated by the Cervantes family who purchased the factory in 1965. Carmen Cervantes took over the reins in 1983 and has been managing operations alongside her mother and sister since then.
The family continues in the longstanding tradition of making tamales by hand without the use of chemicals, gmo’s, or preservatives. For generations, families have lined up to buy the ready-made tamales and masa. The secret ingredient that makes their tamales special is – love. Great granddaughter Deanna, a budding 4th generation tamale-maker at age 8, expressed her excitement, “It’s really fun making tamales – it brings us all together.”
Known as the “Tamale Making Headquarters,” La Carreta offers everything needed to make your own, whether it’s to continue a family tamale making tradition, or start a new one for family and friends to gather for a tamale making party – known as a tamalada.
La Carreta is a one-stop shop where you can get almost all the needed ingredients that will bring the family together for hours. The traditional masa or dough is made with lard but a vegetarian option is also available by special order so all can enjoy in making their own tamales. Chili pods, chili powder, and ready-made concentrated mole to add to the meat – and then the preparation can begin.
With a combined experience of over 100 years in the art of tamale making, the family wishes to share a few helpful hints for tamale-making success for those who want to venture out and make their own/Venture into the world of tamale making.
• Invite your family and friends. They will get to take home the fruits of their labor.
• A better cut of pork cushion meat, clean and lean, which doesn’t have the skin or bones.
• Cook meat and save the broth for the sauce. Thicken the sauce with flour, masa or cornstarch.
• Prepare everything the day before the big day.
• Pick up the masa on the day of the assembling.
• Fresh masa has a consistency that can be spread more easily and requires less effort. You’ll get more per pound. Frozen or cold masa doesn’t spread as well and is a bit harder to work with.
• As a general rule, 6-7 tamales per pound is a good estimate of how much masa you’ll need.
• The masa expands so the tamales will be more robust when cooked.
Their commitment to the community extends to donating to area charities not just during the holidays but year-round. As such, La Carreta was recognized as District Small Business of the Year by the State of California in 2016 for its community contributions, longevity, and success.
So start or continue a family tradition, or stop by for a visit and become part of the La Carreta family in Colton. For information or to place an order, please call 909-825-0737. The address is 302 S. La Cadena Dr., Colton, CA 92324. We’d love to help you start your own family tradition!