These were the most delicious, authentic and, well, perfect tamales we have ever tried. Heirloom corn masa, super flavorful locally grown beans and — the pièce de résistance — wrapped in the herb hoja santa, then corn husks. The salsa is handmade, medium hot from some relatively obscure chilis, smokey and wonderful.

Hoja santa, which is amazing when well used but not so great when cooks and chefs don’t know how to use it, is native to this region (Oaxaca, Mexico) and used by the Aztecs as medicine and even in chocolate.

The corn to beans ratio is also perfect. Nearly all modern tamales are overstuffed with too much cheap GMO corn. This is how they used to be made, with far less higher quality corn.

Note that all these ingredients are prehispanic and local — no cheese, chicken or other imported ingredients.