The idea may be older than the fork or even the plate. Moisten some seasoned masa harina with oil and broth and smear on softened corn husk; top with shredded chicken or pork, roll up the husk, tie closed and steam. Inventive cooks go from there. Local tamale fans have long sung of Chris McDonald’s brilliant spins from pre-Avalon days at Zocalo and Santa Fe. Happily, he’s back at it at Cava (1560 Yonge St., 416-979-9918), stuffing a smallish tamale ($8.75) with wild mushrooms (chanterelles, porcini and honey mushrooms), corn and poblano chilies, and siding it with a zingy ancho chili and wild plum sauce. Cooking in butter brings depth to the mushroom flavours; the sauce plays perfect counterpoint.

Nearer the Tex-Mex mean, a braised pork tamale ($10 with salad and black beans or rice) at La Mexicana (838 Yonge St., 416-934-0712) is triple the size of Cava’s, topped with predictable lashings of sour cream, pico de gallo and cheese. Cliché but muy rico. Tables of Latinos confirm that this is no bland hangout for chili-shy undergrads.