Robert Chacon
As part of their history lesson on Mexican California, 120 fourth-
graders at La Canada Elementary squared off against 80 pounds of
masa, hundreds of corn husks and chicken and pork in an effort to
make tamales they will eat at a fiesta Thursday.
Social studies in fourth grade focuses on California history.
Originally part of Mexico, the state still maintains many of the
traditions from that epoch and making tamales is a way to emphasize
those traditions, teachers said.
Tamales are corn cakes stuffed with chicken or pork, and are a
popular Latino dish. The ingredients were donated by El Cholo Mexican
Restaurant in Pasadena, including ingredients to make a holiday
strawberry tamale.
Restaurant owner Blair Salsbury gave a tamale- making lesson while
two of his employees demonstrated with the ingredients. Ingredients
were laid out on cafeteria tables for the students.
Then the students took their turns while parent volunteers
scrambled to assist.
Students fumbled with corn husks as they attempted to spread on
the masa, or corn paste. Some students spread very thin layers of the
paste onto corn husks, while others slathered on gobs.
Anna Whol took more time than her classmates to make a tamale.
"Mine is perfect. It looks like a present," she exclaimed when she
finished wrapping her creation.
