Melba's Jammin' wrote:
> Couple questions for the panel: What kind of pork roast is used
> effectively for the filling? 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? I don't know these things and am
> curious.

I just finished my weekly conference call with a couple of colleagues in
Guadalajara. Before discussing business, we talk about whatever for a
few minutes. This week, "whatever" was tamales.

In mid-January (I don't recall the exact day) they serve a "King cake",
much like in New Orleans, and whoever finds the "baby" has to buy the
tamales for a big party they have on February 2. I don't recall the
Mexican names for holiday (the one in January is associated with
Christmas) or the King Cake or the "baby".

The best tamales are the ones from the state of Oaxaca; they demand a
big premium. Felipe says they are wrapped in corn leaves instead of
cornhusks. (I believe it might really be banana leaves.)

I asked about using boiled pig heads to make tamales, and they said that
heads are used to make tacos, and pork leg meat (or chicken, or raisins
and pipeapple, or...) is used to make tamales. Guillermo said that
there is a certain "style" to eating tacos properly, but not so with
tamales.

Now here's something interesting: Tamales are almost always eaten
accompanied with a hot drink, like coffee or cocoa or hot milk. If you
drink someting cold with tamales, it's always milk. I asked about beer
with tamales and they both said that would be weird.

Hope this helps,
Bob