On Sunday mornings, families gather early, before the church doors open, to greet friends they're too busy to see during the workweek. Tienda El Rincon Latino is one of those places that tries to fill every immediate need. One of three stores in Tuscaloosa that sells primarily Hispanic groceries, Tienda El Rincon Latino has become a one-stop shop for nearly everything else as well. On the weekends, the aisles are crowded with people who aren't necessarily there to shop. They're there to hang out.
People know the TVs are here.
It's also a social center, where people can watch televised soccer games or browse the shelves of Spanish-language books, CDs and videos while they wait for the tamales to be done. The tamales are made by hand every weekend at a little table in the back, sometimes 200 in all, and they're usually sold by noon. The recipe is a big part of it. These are better than other ones because all the flavor is taken out if they're mass-made. Family time There are no little pots in Maribel Zambrano's kitchen.