Barb asked:

> What else goes on the plate when tamales are on the menu? What I picture
> is a combination plate from El Loro Restaurante -- frijoles, arroz, an
> enchilada or something. Is is a *bad* thing to eat them unaccompanied?

It's not a *bad* thing, but there are some things which I think accompany
tamales well. I like to have them with pickled vegetables and a couple
different dipping sauces or salsas on the side. Or I'll have them with
steamed or roasted vegetables (especially squash: winter squash, summer
squash, spaghetti squash -- it's all good) on the side. Sometimes I make a
kind of Tex-Mex coleslaw to go along with tamales (or with Texas-style
barbecue). Oh, and beer or margaritas, of course. If you want something
more elaborate, flautas are fun to have with tamales, but you're getting
into heart-attack-on-a-plate territory.

Bob