BIG JIM'S RELOCATING

Right across from The Ranchero on North State Street (old HWY 61) in Clarksdale, this eye-catching stand has been a popular stop on the Tamale Trail. For seven years, Big Jim Cole served many a red hot from the walk-up window, along with barbecue, hog maws, and koolickles by the gallon. But Big Jim recently sold his stand and is now working on opening a new location on HWY 49. In the interim, you can still get Big Jim's hot tamales here. He's supplying the new owner with tamales as fast as he can make them. Know, though, that all of Big Jim's decorations are gone, so if you're in Clarksdale and need a tamale fix, be on the lookout for a naked beige building with nary a sign.

We conducted an interview with Big Jim for the Tamale Trail, but it has yet to be posted. We might just sit on it until he gets his new location up and running, which he hopes will be sometime this spring. Check back here for updates.

NEW NAME, SAME TAMALES

The Shanty in Cleveland is now the Grapeland Grill. Owner Jonathan Vance expanded the restaurant and decided that the new space needed a new name. No worries, the tamales haven't changed a bit.

Read our interview with Grapeland Grill tamale maker, Tamara Calhoun, right here.

DELTA TAMALES ON SQUIDOO

Luke Duncan, author of the "Rolling Along the Tamale Trail" article in the Oct./Nov. issue of Y'All magazine, has created a tamale page on Squidoo. Check it out!

Photo by Luke Duncan.

TAMALE TRAIL IN Y'ALL MAGZINE

Check out the eight-page spread on the Tamale Trail by local writer Luke Duncan that appears in the Nov./Dec. 2007 issue of Y'All magazine.

By the way, the tamale painting that opens the article was created by SFA oral historian (and artist) Amy Evans.

TAMALES IN DREW

It used to be that the only time you could get tamales in Drew was when the Hot Tamale Heaven truck came to town on weekends. But now, Walter and Jessie Sculark sell HTH's tamales at their new restaurant, Drew Fast Food & Bar-B-Q, every Friday and Saturday.

For those of you who know Drew, the Sculark's used to have the PC Diner, where they served a mean meat-and-three. Unfortunately, they're focusing on short orders now, but Mrs. Sculark is still making her killer sweet potato pie, the perfect thing to follow a meal of tamales.

2007 Ruth Fertel Keeper of the Flame: Elizabeth Scott, Scott's Hot Tamales

As part of last week's Southern Foodways Symposium, the Southern Foodways Alliance honored tamale maker Elizabeth Scott with the 2007 Ruth Fertel Keeper of the Flame Award. Part of this recognition includes a cash award, as well as the production of a short film documenting her six decades in the tamale business. The film premiered at the symposium. A clip will be featured here soon.

Congratulations, Mrs. Scott!

SCOTT'S HOT TAMALES SHIPS!

The fine folks at Scott's Hot Tamales in Greenville are now shipping their handmade bundles of meat and meal. Give them a call, if you need a fix.

Scott's Hot Tamales
Tamale kitchen: (662) 335-1737
Tamale stand: (662) 332-4013

And check out these other vendors who ship:

Vendors who ship regularly:
Hicks' World Famous Hot Tamales & More
Pasquale's Hot Tamales

Vendor's who are willing to ship:
Maria's Famous Hot Tamales
Big Jim Cole: (662) 645-5600