Weekend Tamal Fiesta raises money for UA

The third annual fiesta marked the harvest of green corn used to make green corn tamales, which were sold by local companies to raise money for the University of Arizona Alumni Association Scholarship Fund.

About $100,000 was raised for the fund in the past two years, said John Huerta, a UA Foundation development officer, who was on hand passing out the food.

"I come every year for the people who keep up with the culture and dances and food," said Deedee Figueroa, who has attended the fiesta for the past two years.

The ethnic, festive atmosphere of the cultural event mingled with the usual excitement generated by Downtown Saturday night. The fiesta, which took place at the downtown library plaza, attracted people passing by with its uplifting music.

"I came down here to take a look around. I just followed the music. I think it's great to have fun and raise money for scholarships," said Frances Ngkaion, who was visiting from Illinois.

The green corn tamales sold for $15 a dozen, and $4 a plate, including rice and beans. The tamales cost about $5 a dozen to make, creating a $10 profit for the Hispanic scholarship fund. Thirty different companies, including Bank One, Hughes Missile Systems Co. and PepsiCo contributed to the fiesta by cooking over 25,000 tamales in the kitchens of Sunnyside High School and other high schools and companies.

The tamales are composed of green corn masa (corn meal), cheese and green chiles, wrapped in corn husks. To eat a tamale, one unwraps the husk and the cooked tamale rolls out. If the food is not done, the tamale will fall apart when the husk is removed, Huerta said.

Each company used a different recipe, making some tamales sweet while others were spicy.

This year's winner was Hughes Missile Systems Co. followed by Bank One and Bank of America.

Steve Villaescusa, who started the Tamal Fiesta five years ago, was crowned the 1997 Tamale King. Villaescusa said the fiesta began at Hughes Missile Systems Co., and created so much demand that they expanded to include other companies.

"It reminds me of being in South America. It's romantic music," said Tony McNamara, who heard the music while passing by and joined the fiesta.