Mayan Family Feast

This April is Maya Month here at the Galileo School, so, in celebration of this wonderful culture, we decided to have a Mayan Family Feast!!!! Our menu included popular Mexican favorites such as tacos with homemade tortillas and homemade tamales. Some side dishes included roasted corn on the cob and tortilla chips with salsa. We ate off of real banana leaves with our hands too!! However, I, being the pickiest person in the house when it comes to just about anything, preferred to use a fork as the tamales were hot. Here is the history of some of the foods we ate. A tamale or tamal is a traditional Latin American dish made of masa, which is steamed or boiled in a corn husk or banana leaf wrapper. The wrapping is discarded before eating. Tamales can be further filled with meats, cheese, vegetables, chilies or any preparation depending on your cravings. Tamales were one of the staples found by the Spanish Conquistadors when they first arrived in Mexico and were soon widely spread throughout their other colonies. Tamales are said to have been as ubiquitous and varied as the sandwich is today.Tamales originated in Mesoamerica as early as 8000 to 5000 BCE. Aztec and Maya civilizations as well as the Olmecs before them and Toltecs after them used tamales as a portable food, often to support their armies but also for hunters and travelers. Mmmm! Sounds delicious, and the ones we made were! Just wanted to say thanks to those who made the meal possible: Daddy, thanks for running out to the store a countless number of times to buy ingredients. Mommy, thanks for preparing our meal for us and encouraging us to try new things. We couldn’t have done it without you guys!!!! Bon Appetit!

Homemade Tamales:

Tamales in the steamer:

Beef with Onions and Peppers:

Homemade Corn Tortillas:

Black Beans:

Mexican Hot Chocolate: