Yamila El-Khayat is following family traditions at Tucson Meet Yourself this year, running a Chilean food booth dubbed La Fondita Chilena (F16), like her mother and mother's friends did for years.
Among the menu items: Empanadas filled with beef, egg and olives, and omitas, which El-Khayat describes as similar to corn tamales, but without green chiles and cheese, and seasoned with basil and paprika.
"(Omitas) are a big summer dish, a go-to plate," El-Khayat said.
El-Khayat, a medical librarian by trade, said she learned many of her recipes from her aunt, who still lives in Chile.
"She loves sharing her recipes," El-Khayat said. "Every time I go back, I sit with her in the kitchen and we make a variety of foods."
