ALTON BROWN ON THE TAMALE TRAIL

Alton Brown and his crew were in the Delta yesterday, filming a segment for his Food Network show, Feasting on Asphalt. They started their tamale trek in Greenville, where they visited Doe's Eat Place and Scott's Hot Tamales. Then I--Amy Evans, SFA oral historian--met them in Rosedale at Joe's Hot Tamale Place, where Barbara Pope plied us with tamales and Kool Aid pickles. We then traveled to Clarksdale, where we were supposed to meet up with Big Jim Cole at his tamale stand on State Street. Unfortunately, Big Jim didn't make it (sorry we missed you, Big Jim! We filmed at your place, though, so here's hoping it makes the cut). While we were there, Alton Brown fan Mattie Davis (pictured here) stopped to get an autograph. Evidently, Alton has quite a fan base in the Mississippi Delta.

Alton was keen on getting some footage at the crossroads of Highways 61 and 49, so we headed back down the street to Abe's Bar-B-Q. We bellied up to the counter and had Abe's famous Tamaco (tamales covered in chili, cheese, lettuce and tomato), as well as some bbq. Then, unfortunately, it was time to call it a day. I headed home, and Alton and crew headed to Arkansas.

Alton is blogging about his thirty-day trek up the Mississippi River for Feasting on Asphalt on his website. You can get the scoop right here. The Tamale Trail adventure appears in the "Day 3" entry.

Feasting on Asphalt will appear on the Food Network this August, every Saturday night. Since the Delta fell early in their itinerary, look for the Tamale Trail to appear in one of the first few episodes.

Thanks Alton and crew for a great afternoon in the Delta and for stopping long enough to eat more than a few Mississippi Delta hot tamales and meet the fine, fine people who make them. Y'all are welcome back to these parts any time!

GET HOT TAMALES SHIPPED TO YOUR DOOR!

Due to the wonderful exposure the Tamale Trail received in Relish Magazine recently (a great article written by our friend and tamale lover, Brooks Hamaker), we have been inundated with requests for names of tamales vendors who will ship their wares. There are a couple who have an established mail order businesses and a couple who are willing to satisfy people's tamale cravings far and wide. But most people featured here might just ship you a dozen, if you ask, so take some time to meet the folks along the Tamale Trail and decide whose tamales you might like to try. Better yet, come to the Delta to taste them all!

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

Again, don't be shy about calling other folks featured here to see if they'll send some hot tamales your way.

Happy eating!

BIG JIM'S IN CLARKSDALE

Big Jim's has been one of the mapped locations on the Tamale Trail since the project appeared online in 2005. Owner, Big Jim Cole, has been a friend and fan of the project ever since. He welcomes Trail travelers, and he has even made catfish tamales, per our request. And now, Big Jim has been interviewed. Look for his oral history to appear here in the coming months. In the meantime, if you happen to find yourself in Clarksdale, make sure to pay Big Jim a call and enjoy some of his homemade red hots

PRESS FOR THE TAMALE TRAIL

The Tamale Trail was recently featured in Relish Magazine, as well as The Southern Quarterly. Joe's Hot Tamale Place/ White Front Cafe is the cover image for the Winter 2007 edition of The Southern Quarterly.

**TAMALE TRAIL WINS AWARD**

The Mississippi Delta Hot Tamale Trail is the recipient of the 2006 Elbert R. Hilliard Award for Outstanding Oral History Project, which is awarded by the Mississippi Historical Society. From their website: "The oral history award recognizes as merited oral history projects exemplifying a distinguished collection, high-quality preservation, and proper use of oral history."

Thank you to everyone who has supported this project that documents the history, tradition and culture of hot tamales in the Mississippi Delta. Most of all, thank you to the tamale makers and vendors who have shared their stories.

Look for more interviews to appear online this summer.

The SFA received the same award in 2005 for their Doe's Eat Place Oral History Project.

TAMALES & DONUTS IN GREENWOOD

A stone's throw from oak-lined Grand Blvd. in Greenwood, Honest Abe's Donuts is frequented by folks with a morning sugar tooth. But you can get hot tamales here, too--sweet and savory in one stop. As far as we know, it doesn't matter which you eat first.

Visit our Tamale Trail map to find your way to Honest Abe's front door.

NEW INTERVIEW: SOLLY'S HOT TAMALES

Solly's Hot Tamales has been a Vicksburg tradition since 1939. Henry Solly, a native of Cuba, developed a recipe and began selling hot tamales from a pushcart. Eventually, his tamales got so popular that he retired the cart and opened a storefront. Solly made tamales at 1921 Washington Street until his death in 1992. Before he died, he offered his business to his friend, May Belle Hampton. May Belle and her daughter, Jewel, continued the tradition. Today, Jewel and her daughter, Dina, still make tamales according to Solly's recipe. Read Jewel McCain's oral history interview here.