Chile today, hot tamale (also written chili today, hot tamale) is an antiquated cliché. The term can best be described as a pun that uses food terms to describe a weather forecast. The term most likely originates from the United States where the Spanish singular tamal is more commonly known as a tamale in English. American etymologist Barry Popik lists the phrase in his “Texas (Lone Star State Dictionary)” and traces its use in published media back to 1928. Several products have employed the phrase in some fashion: :-Chile Today-Hot Tamale, Inc. - a New Jersey based brand of spices and seasonings acquired by Dave’s Gourmet in 2006 :-ChileTodayHotTamale.net - a hot sauce company based in Madison, GA In Popular Culture episode 7 of season 1 is entitled “Chili Today And Hot Tamale.” The episode, originally airing in 1970, focuses on the band traveling to Mexico.
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