Those who joined us for April 22nd's Tamale Trail Tour got to experience a fantastic tamale-filled day in the Mississippi Delta. About twenty-five folks, who came from as far as Colorado and Maryland, hopped on a bus in Oxford and traveled through Clarksdale, Rosedale, and Cleveland, eating and learning along the way. Amy Evans, chief architect of the Tamale Trail, led the tour, giving some context to what the group would be experiencing on the trip.
Our first stop was at Hicks World Famous Hot Tamales and More in Clarksdale. Mrs. Betty Hicks gave a short tamale clinic and took the group on a tour of her unique tamale-making facility. From there, the group sampled fried hot tamales at Ground Zero, while enjoying live music on Delta Avenue, which was part of Clarksdale's third annual Juke Joint Festival.
In the early afternoon we traveled to Rosedale, a small Delta town perched along the Mississippi River. There, we visited with Barbara Pope and Susie Irving at Joe's Hot Tamale Place, a.k.a. The White Front Cafe. Ms. Pope spoke to the group about her late brother, Joe Pope's, love of hot tamales, his loyal customers, and just a hint of what goes into these popular bundles of meat and masa.
In Cleveland, we visited Airport Grocery, where the tamales are made according to Joe Pope's recipe. Even so, the tamales are quite different. Evidently, Joe didn't give away all of his secrets. After our last taste of tamales, the group enjoyed some of Airport Grocery's homemade chocolate and lemon pie--the perfect ending to a day filled with lots of spice.
When asked what they learned on the Tamale Trail Tour, here's what a few participants had to say:
"[I learned] that their production is, in fact, a labor of love and a culinary craft. That, taken with its seeming oddity and unexplained presence in the Delta, is so quirkily and solidly Southern. And tasty. The tamales I ate this weekend were different in form and flavor than those I've had before."
"That there are distinct variations between what is served in the delta and what is served in the southwest."
"They're good. They are very time consuming to make and the makers are certainly dedicated. We hope this tradition doesn't fade away."
"I thought the trip was very well planned and conducted. Right down to the Tums - they were a life saver 1:00 a.m. Sunday morning. Thanks for a really enjoyable day."
The true success of the tour was evidenced by the fact that everyone in the group ate all of the hot tamales that they were given to sample, and then they bought more! Given the initial popularity of this event, we sincerely hope to make the Tamale Trail Tour an annual event, with different itineraries planned for each year. Keep checking back here for news and updates. Until then, thanks to all of the folks who came on the inaugural Tamale Trail Tour to experience the tradition and culture of hot tamales in the Mississippi Delta and the stories behind the food.
