Well, with Karaoke machines so freely available, we might as well do away
with live bands too - obselete!
And you know, they can make diamonds real cheap in a laborotory now, so I
guess all those dug up rocks should be scrapped as well!

Seriously though, whatever the original reason for the husk, it is an
intrinsic part of the dish, and adds quite a flavor. I have tried making
tamales wrapped in grease proof paper when I couln't get hold of any hojas,
but the masa lacked a whole layer of corn flavor imparted by the husk.

Yes tamales are labor intensive, but they are so much worth the effort,
especially if you can make them together with friends and family...a true
feast from assembly to consumption!!!

Tamale Pie is in itself a fabulous dish, and makes tasty supper without too
much fuss and bother, but Tamales it sure ain't!

Vivan las Hojas!!!!!!!

Gareth Rowan
www.toocountry.co.uk
{ o}===:::/TOO COUNTRY\:::==={o }




> I contend that corn husks are obsolete, and superfluous,
> that they are mainly used so the tamales can be steamed in the traditional
> manner, and wrapping tamale ingredients in corn husks is what makes home
made
> tamales a labor-intensive proposition...
>
> So, I say, eliminate the corn husk!
>
> Many years ago, my Mom (who was German/Danish) loved Mexican food and
couldn't
> find any tamales where we lived used to make what was called a "tamale
pie"...
>
> Authentic Mexican ingredients like masa weren't available from
supermarkets
> like today, Mom used what she could find...
>
> Moist cooked corn meal mush was poured into an oven proof glass casserole
dish,
> the chile sauce and whatever pre-cooked meat was to be used was poured in
> there, some hominy or cooked corn was added, and a top layer of moist corn
meal
> mush was poured on top...
>
> The dish was *baked* in the oven for about an hour, the tamale pie was cut
and
> served like---pie...
>
> I think I might make a quick tamale pie using instant masa, red chile
sauce and
> pork around Christmas time, but I won't need any corn husks at all, they
are
> superfluous...
>
>
>
>
>
>
> # * 0 * #
> ^
>
>
>