Tom Tom Tom: A Chicago Thanksgiving Treat

While researching the Mother in Law, I spent a fascinating afternoon with Nick Petros, owner of Tom Tom Tamales. He mentioned that before Thanksgiving some south side markets put up special displays of Tom Toms for those planning to use them as turkey stuffing.

My reaction was much the same as when I first heard of White Castle dressing: initial amusement and slight revulsion followed by the realization it might not be so bad after all. I'm a fan of cornbread stuffing, and Mexican spices go famously with turkey, so why not?

I might give it a try this year, especially if I can find an inexpensive tom turkey (seems a shame to use a hen), not for the Thanksgiving bird but as a warm up for the holiday. Has anyone tried stuffing a turkey with crumbled tamales? How about the infamous slider stuffing or any other unusual turkey dressing?

HI,

I recall vividly Bill Rice, of the Chicago Tribune, wrote a column where his daughter could choose whatever she wanted for her birthday. She wanted a roasted turkey stuffed with butterfly shaped (farfarelle) pasta. He provided the recipe with the comment it was far better than he expected.

Just remember to loosely pack your tamales! I look forward to your report.

Regards,

We've done the White Castle recipe a number of times off and on through the years. It's pretty much like a mild sausage stuffing, since it's the same basic components as a 'regular' stuffing; bread, onions and meat. You just add the other stuff like celery and spices. It's good and even better, it's a conversation starter!

I'll have to show my husband the Tom Tom Tom idea. As big a lover of these kind of tamales and corn rolls as he is, I'm sure he'd be all over it.

Slider stuffing doesn't squick me in the least. Now *oyster* stuffing...that's a different matter!

Sometime back, some friends of mine had a Thanksgiving meal that featured Turkey with White Castle® stuffing, a Tater-Tot™ casserole topped with Kraft® Velveeta Cheese™ sauce, Birds Eye® Frozen French-Cut™ Green Bean casserole baked with Campbell's® Cream of Mushroom Soup™ and topped with FRENCH'S® French Fried Onions™. As I recall, hors devoures consisted of La Choy® Frozen Mini-Eggrolls™, Tostino® Pizza Rolls™ and Kellogg's® Pop Tarts™. There was Ritz® Mock Apple Pie™ and Jello® Banana flavored* Instant Pudding™ pie topped with Nabisco® Nilla Vanilla™ wafers and Coolwhip™ for dessert.

The Slyder™ stuffing was quite tasty (in a slider way), but was on the mushy side. Some crunchy celery might have added some needed texture, but introducing fresh vegetables to the meal would have spoiled the authenticity.

d4v3 wrote:Sometime back, some friends of mine had a Thanksgiving meal that featured Turkey with White Castle® stuffing, a Tater-Tot™ casserole topped with Kraft® Velveeta Cheese™ sauce, Birds Eye® Frozen French-Cut™ Green Bean casserole baked with Campbell's® Cream of Mushroom Soup™ and topped with FRENCH'S® French Fried Onions™. As I recall, hors devoures consisted of La Choy® Frozen Mini-Eggrolls™, Tostino® Pizza Rolls™ and Kellogg's® Pop Tarts™. There was Ritz® Mock Apple Pie™ and Jello® Banana flavored* Instant Pudding™ pie topped with Nabisco® Nilla Vanilla™ wafers and Coolwhip™ for dessert.

The Slyder™ stuffing was quite tasty (in a slider way), but was on the mushy side. Some crunchy celery might have added some needed texture, but introducing fresh vegetables to the meal would have spoiled the authenticity.

That sounds like Thanksgiving at Sandra Lee's house.

Rene G wrote:I might give it a try this year, especially if I can find an inexpensive tom turkey (seems a shame to use a hen), not for the Thanksgiving bird but as a warm up for the holiday.

You could always try another round of Tofurky.

Oops, looks like the Tofurky's already stuffed. But there is something soothingly symmetrical about a tamale stuffed inside the tofurky, since it looks a bit like a giant tamale itself.

I like the idea of Tamale Stuffing, great idea Thanks I have just the recipe for the meat in the stuffing too Al Pastor!

bronco wrote:I like the idea of Tamale Stuffing, great idea Thanks I have just the recipe for the meat in the stuffing too Al Pastor!

Inspired!

A little late for Thanksgiving by this point, but I was surprised to see Tom Tom Tamales (beef) in large numbers in a freezer at Jewel in Arlington Heights. Kind of far from their usual haunts. Must be someone up this way likes them. But there were a hundred or more, on sale 10 for $10. So I bought two, never having had a Tom Tom Tamale before, but having heard of them often (especially in presentations by Rene G). Still thawing, so I figure I'll have my first taste tomorrow. But still amused at having found this South Side tradition in the far NW suburbs.

Cynthia wrote:A little late for Thanksgiving by this point, but I was surprised to see Tom Tom Tamales (beef) in large numbers in a freezer at Jewel in Arlington Heights. Kind of far from their usual haunts. Must be someone up this way likes them. But there were a hundred or more, on sale 10 for $10. So I bought two, never having had a Tom Tom Tamale before, but having heard of them often (especially in presentations by Rene G). Still thawing, so I figure I'll have my first taste tomorrow. But still amused at having found this South Side tradition in the far NW suburbs.

They have been carrying them at Woodman's in Carpenterville for years. They are actually pretty good topped with some chili.

I forgot about this Thanksgiving menu of all test kitchen recipes, it would be sure interesting to emulate.

d4v3 wrote:Sometime back, some friends of mine had a Thanksgiving meal that featured Turkey with White Castle® stuffing, a Tater-Tot™ casserole topped with Kraft® Velveeta Cheese™ sauce, Birds Eye® Frozen French-Cut™ Green Bean casserole baked with Campbell's® Cream of Mushroom Soup™ and topped with FRENCH'S® French Fried Onions™. As I recall, hors devoures consisted of La Choy® Frozen Mini-Eggrolls™, Tostino® Pizza Rolls™ and Kellogg's® Pop Tarts™. There was Ritz® Mock Apple Pie™ and Jello® Banana flavored* Instant Pudding™ pie topped with Nabisco® Nilla Vanilla™ wafers and Coolwhip™ for dessert.

The Slyder™ stuffing was quite tasty (in a slider way), but was on the mushy side. Some crunchy celery might have added some needed texture, but introducing fresh vegetables to the meal would have spoiled the authenticity.