"Hazels65" > wrote in message
...
> I liked the tamales cooked by a neighbor in Metairie, Louisiana. She came
from
> Honduras. They were very large compared to any I've ever seen, and did
not
> have that reddish meat in the center like the little ones. The masa
harina was
> seasoned delicately, cooked and then smeared on fresh banana leaves. On
top
> went marinated pork or chicken, a couple thin slices tomato, a few slices
green
> olives, thin-sliced onion, a few raisins.Sometimes she would put a thin
slice
> or two of potato in, and if you liked it spicy, a tiny red pepper. Then
they
> were wrapped in the banana leaves, tied with string, wrapped individually
in
> tin foil and steamed most of the day. She could never fill all the orders
and
> they sold for $2.50 each over 10 years ago. She would never part with her
> seasoning recipe for the masa or the marinade for the pork. I tried.
Sigh.
> The combination of flavors was fabulous. She was a beautiful woman who
had
> been a professional dancer in Honduras, and when they fled to the US, they
had
> to leave everything behind.
>
> One would make a meal, two would make a feast.
>
> Henrietta

Sounds delicious. have you ever tried making them?.
Ernie