Conclusions... I just ate the tamale

Okay. I have my answers. I asked Doña Ana at one point and later I asked Don Efraín about the tamale process. Why is it not possible to mix the masa (dough) and the sauce beforehand in a huge pot?

The answer to them is simple and the both answered me the same. The masa and the sauce aren't supposed to be mixed. The masa is supposed to act like a shell around the sauce and the meat inside. That's why the tamales look the way they do when you open one to eat it.

So what does that mean for me? Was I incorrectly taught how to make tamales? No.

1) After further questions, I learned Doña Silvia is from El Salvador. That's either the Salvadorean style or just the way her family makes them. Doña Ana and Don Efraín are talking about Guatemalan style tamales.
2) With this knowledge, I believe Doña Silvia could actually mix the masa and the sauce beforehand, if she makes tamales her way, assuming one of the tamale gurus / chefs say anything otherwise. She wouldn't have done it though, because it's not her house, and others would have a fuss about it. What's the difference, we mixed them up pretty good anyways? It was kind of a stealth move, until I blew her cover and asked Doña Ana. And because of the whole process thing and change is a bit difficult around here.

I obviously haven't learned everything there is to making a tamale yet, but hey, I learned the assembly. I've got 17 months to go. I've got time.

What the f*ck am I talking about anyways, analyzing tamales. If I actually had some real volunteer work to do right now in the cooperative, I probably wouldn't be wasting my time with this. I don't care how it's made, I'll eat the damn thing anyways, Guatemalan style, Salvadorian style, Mexican style - I don't care, they're awesome. By the way, these tamales are the bomb- I did help make'em. If Esmeralda or any of you tamale makers out there are reading this, I hope you invite me over when I'm back in the states and when you guys make tamales at home. I'll help you make them and of course finish them too. All this nonsense about tamales has made me hungry. Later.