Road trip attractions: Mississippi's Tamale Trail

I had tamales for breakfast today. I made a special trip to d'Iberville, Mississippi for them. Doris' Hot Tamales is the southernmost point on the Mississippi Tamale Trail. Although they're similar in concept to the ones I ate growing up in Los Angeles, there are some crucial differences: Her tamales are stuffed with ground beef instead of shredded meat. From the fine grain, I'd say that the dough is made with cornmeal instead of the traditional masa of Mexican tamales. Spice was mixed into the dough as well as the meat. And Mississippi tamales are simmered in liquid rather thsn steamed. Still, they brought back memories. It may sound odd to talk about eating tamales in Mississippi, but they are part of Mississippi's heritage. You'll find references to Mississippi's hot tamales in songs by bluesmen as far back as 1928. The Tamale Trail has dozens of spots where you can eat Mississippi hot tamales, most of them in the Delta area, especially Greenville. You can find a map of the trial at www.tamaletrail.com.