There are lots and lots of tamales. The ones in eastern North America were
(and are) often made with green corn grated directly off the ears.
Nixtamalized corn is favored in contemporary Mexico, but plain cornmeal was
the basis of American street "hot tamales." They still make green corn
tamales in Mexico and Peru, however, also.

Leafbreads are pretty universal. There are leafbreads in Africa and Asia,
and were in Europe.


--
-Mark H. Zanger
author, The American History Cookbook, The American Ethnic Cookbook for
Students
www.ethnicook.com
www.historycook.com

"Charles Gifford" > wrote in message
ink.net...
>
> "Mark Zanger" > wrote in message
> news:4SSjc.38670$YP5.2952479@attbi_s02...
> > Cornmeal
>
> Just picking a nit, but cornmeal is a specific thing. Was that what you
> mean? It is my understanding is that "treated" corn was used throughout
> North America (including parts of Central/Middle America).
>
> Charlie
>
> > cooked in leaves or cornhusks was in use throughout the Americas by
> > the time of European contact, which means the method has to be thousands
> of
> > years old just to account for the diffusion.
> >
> > Leafbreads were noted by John Smith in Virginia, by early visitors to
the
> > Iroquois, and by the Spanish expeditions before them.
> >
> >
> > --
> > -Mark H. Zanger
> > author, The American History Cookbook, The American Ethnic Cookbook for
> > Students
> > www.ethnicook.com
> > www.historycook.com
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > "Mr_Bill" > wrote in message
> > ...
> > > The web has a couple of stories about the begining of tamales.
> > > Is there any eviden ce tamales were used by the ancient indians of
> > > Mexico/Latina and South America?
> >
> >
>
>