South Western dishes was Re: SC - Huevos con salsa-

[Brian L. Rygg or Laura Barbee-Rygg]

Elysant <Snowfire at mail.snet.net>
>
> Tamales     The sweet version of these are a tradition at Christmas in
West
>             Texas.  Where do they originate?  I was wondering if perhaps
the
>     cooking method of rolling the meat or raisins etc. up in corn
>     meal an then wrapping and boiling it in corn shucks might be
>     quite old?

Tamales are made by first steaming the corn shucks (to soften); then a fine
paste of masa trigo (corn meal) is spread on the corn shuck which in turn
receives a good spoonful of the seasoned meat mixture (usually pork -- in
south Texas) which has cooked all night.  Then the shucks are rolled up
tight and layered in a pot and steamed -- not boiled.  I suspect they were
often, if not originally, cooked directly in the coals.  My brother's late
mother-in-law (originally from Mexico) made them every Christmas, Easter,
and other special occasions -- sometimes I got to help.

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