The Tradition of Tamales in Latin America

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Now that December is here, the season for holiday foods has truly arrived. From lollipops to latkes, every holiday and region has its own traditions. In many Latin American countries, tamales are the stars of the show. These delicious creations are made from masa – a traditional corn dough – and some sort of filling. Popular choices are chicken, chilies, and pork. Many are familiar with the traditional Mexican <em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">tamal, which is wrapped in cornhusks and then steamed. In Costa Rica, however, the <em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">masa is wrapped in banana or plantain leaves. And the variations don’t stop there.

Tamales, which are thought to have originated with the Ancient Mayans in Mesoamerica as far back as 8000 BCE, have an amazingly long and diverse history. For instance, they were originally designed as portable food. Armies, hunters, and nomads could carry the <em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">masa pouches wrapped in leaves and have food available during long journeys. Perhaps it is travel such as this that has made the tamal such an international treat with so many different incarnations.

In Guatemala, there are more than a hundred varieties of tamales. Sweet, savoury, and spicy tamales are all popular. In El Salvador and Honduras, tamales are often served with no filling at all, so that the starchy dough can act as a sort of bread with a meal. In Northern Argentina, tamales are traditionally filled with shredded meat from a lamb’s head. In other words, there is no end to the diversity of tamales. What all varieties have in common, though, is that they can always be found on the Christmas dinner table. And considering how mouthwatering these little treats are, that’s probably a tradition that will be around for another 10,000 years. Or at least, we hope so!

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