Opinicus muttered....

> "ASmith1946" > wrote in message
> ...
>
>> "White tamales with beans forming a sea shell on top; white tamales
>> with
> maize
>> grains thrown in; hard, white tamales with grains of maize thrown in;
>> red tamales with beans forming a sea shell on top; tamales made of a
>> dough of
> maize
>> softened in lime, with beans forming a sea shell on top; tamales of
>> maize softened in wood ashes; turkey pasty cooked in a pot, or
>> sprinkled with
> seeds;
>> tamales of meat cooked with maize and yellow chili; roast turkey hen;
> roast
>> quail."
>
> Great menu. I'll have one of each... ;-)
>

The tamal (appropriate singular) must have developed fairly early in the
MesoAmerican corn-based food chain, if for no other reason as a method of
producing a portable food which could be reheated/"reconstituted" easily,
and wrapped in corn shucks, banana leaf or other suitable material, didn't
require a bowl or container.

Containing everything, all the way from mais-only, sweetened or
unsweetened, all the way through every available meat up to the fruit
filled Christmas tamales, they vary widely by region and even family
tradition.

TMO