Also tamaul, erron. tamale. [Mexican Sp. tamal, pl. tamales.] A Mexican delicacy, made of crushed Indian corn, flavored with pieces of meat or chicken, red pepper, etc., wrapped in corn-husks and baked.
1846. A. Robinson, Life in California, xii. 201. The fourth [cart], the wheels of which squeaked under the immense weight of roast turkies, chickens, beef, mutton, tamales, dulces, etc.
1856. Olmsted, Texas (Bartlett). This [crowd] attracts a few sellers of whiskey, tortillas, and tamaules.
1860. Bartlett, Dict. Amer., Tamal, or Tamauli.
1884. Boston (Mass.) Jrnl., 16 Feb., 2/2. A queer article of food, known as ‘tamales,’ is sold in the streets of San Francisco at night by picturesquely clad Spaniards.
1893. Kate Sanborn, Truthf. Wom. S. California, 29. A tamale is a curious and dubious combination of chicken hash, meal, olives, red pepper, and I know not what, enclosed in a corn-husk.
