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They Forgot To Add Taste To Garibaldi Tamales

Rick Bonino Food Editor

Maybe the name should have been a tip-off from the start. After all, what sort of self-respecting tamale would go by Garibaldi?

But curiosity got the better of us, so we took a few frozen Garibaldi Veggie Tamales to serve to The Spokesman-Review’s reader food panel for an early Cinco de Mayo celebration.

The tamales, sealed in “vegetable parchment” instead of corn husks, were full of beans, corn, carrots, peas and rice, but somebody forgot to add the flavor. The verdict: not so hot.

Garibaldi Veggie Tamale

Price: $1.89 for 1 (11-ounce) tamale.

Nutrition: 130 calories (27 percent fat calories); 480 milligrams sodium in 1/2 tamale.

Taste: **

Value: **

Comments: “A bit rubbery. Not much flavor; would need a good salsa to make this a nice lunch.” - Emily Bush

“No taste, no corn husk, no good.” - Bob Bates

, DataTimes MEMO: Products sampled by The Spokesman-Review’s reader food panel are prepared according to package directions. Panelists are not aware of a product’s brand name or price until after they have tasted it. Products are rated from one to five stars for taste and for value, based on quality compared to price.

Products sampled by The Spokesman-Review’s reader food panel are prepared according to package directions. Panelists are not aware of a product’s brand name or price until after they have tasted it. Products are rated from one to five stars for taste and for value, based on quality compared to price.