Tamales / təˈmälēs/
Tostadas / to'städas/
Taquitos / ta'kitos/
Tortas / 'tortas/
T for Tamales, Tostadas, Taquitos, Tortas
From the North
Noun: A tamale is a traditional Mesoamerican dish made of a starchy dough, usually of corn base which is steamed or boiled in a leaf wrapper.
Tamales can be filled with meats, cheeses, fruits, vegetables, chilies or any ingredient according to taste, and both the filling and the cooking liquid may be seasoned.
Origins: Tamales originated in Mesoamerica as early as 8000 to 5000 BC. Aztec and Mayan civilizations, as well as the Olmec and Toltec before them, used tamales as portable food often to support their armies but also for hunters and travelers. Tamale use in the Inca Empire had also been reported long before the Spanish visited the New World.
