There are certain foods which share the
same name but which I don't consider the same dish.
For example I don't consider Chicago deep dish pizza
to be the same dish as "normal" regular crust pizza.
I love both types of pizza but if one tries Chicago
deep dish pizza without considering it a different
dish, often hatred toward the perversion of the
institution of pizza is the result. Once one gets
over the hangup/disappointment of the expectations
caused by a similar name, often you'll find something
which is at least half way decent...
I find Canned Tamales (yummy heated in the same
pot as canned corn), and "Chicago style" tamales
both to be perfectly acceptable things to eat
(although I wouldn't go as far as to say they're
excellent). I grew up eating Hormel or Nalley
Canned tamales, and the "Chicago Style" Tamales are
another pretty yummy thing as well (I bring back
frozen ones when I visit chicago). But I don't
consider either of these things to be the same dish
as Tamales, or even as good as the "real" dish.
True they share some of the same ingredients -
something sort of resembling meat in the middle,
with a corn based outer layer, but they just aren't
the same dish at all.
I can definitely understand Jaime's viewpoint
about what a real tamale is and should taste like.
Jaime, I'm curious how you feel about the
oddities which people are now putting in tamales.
Like I've seen ones with strawberry Jam filling, and
also weird fusion stuff like korean beef.
