I've never tried to make my own tamales, but it sounds interesting to try sometime. There is a place in Tyler, TX that makes the best east Texas tamales I know of. There is a place in Nash, outside Texarkana that make the biggest I seen, and run a close second to those in Tyler. And actually, there is a steak chain that started in Greenville, MS that makes them in Newport, AR, and serves them as horsedoobers. But they are great most anytime. Matter of fact, with all this tamale talk, I think I'll saunder on up to the tamale factory and get a dozen or so. Sounds like a welcome change for dinner instead of my wife and I trying to figure something out at the last minute tonight.
Bill
Bill