Chef Gabriela Castillo and Maximina Vargas de Villamonte from Tamales y Chorizos Tía Mary agree that the topic of raisins in tamales depends on personal preference. Both women enjoy the contrast between sweet and salty in this dish, which is very popular during the Christmas season. Tía Mary's family, as Villamonte is known, is also not immune to this debate. Although she herself likes raisins in tamales, some of her family members are not fans of mixing sweet and savory. Villamonte, from Los Santos, commented that for her business, she prepares tamales according to her customers' tastes, with or without raisins, with olives or capers, and with the protein of their choice, whether pork or chicken. Castillo, for her part, explained that the sweetness of the raisins helps to balance and contrast the other flavors of the tamale. Furthermore, in baking and some cuisines, such as Asian, it is very common to mix sweet and savory. Every year, during the Christmas season, the debate over whether tamales should or should not contain raisins reignites, which may seem trivial, but the conclusion remains the same: it depends on the diner's taste. In baking, sea salt Maldon is often used for chocolate chip cookies and other desserts like salted caramel, which slightly reduces the sweetness and helps the salivation process, making the other flavors more perceptible. Panamá América conducted a poll among its followers on Instagram, and the 'raisin team' won. Among the comments, some people say that those who don't like them can simply take them out. 'It's a matter of taste,' one social media user assured. 'For some, it's essential, for others, it's not.'
Raisin in Tamale Debate: A Matter of Taste
Panamanian chefs and entrepreneurs debate the controversial question of whether tamales should contain raisins. Some believe the sweet ingredient perfectly complements the flavor, while others say it's a matter of personal preference.
