HOUSTON — Houston is no stranger to tamales, but did you know these tasty treats gift wrapped in corn husks are thousands of years old?
The first evidence of tamales is from around 7,000 B.C. in the Aztec empire. While the portable protein rich food was eaten by everyone from warriors to hunters, the Aztecs also offered tamales to their gods during their religious ceremonies.
With the arrival of the Spanish, they were stripped of their pagan past and incorporated into Christian traditions like Christmas.
It's not clear when they crossed the border in the U.S., but by the late 1800s, tamales had arrived in Spanish-speaking communities in California and Texas.
They weren't welcomed with open arms, though. Tamale vendors were actually banned in Los Angeles and San Antonio at one point.
Now these labor intensive treats are much more appreciated but often reserved for special occasions.
Note: The following video was uploaded in Dec. 2021.