We've decided to embark on a new culinary adventure in my household.  My partner, who is Chinese, loves tamales.  I, who am white bread midwestern and vegetarian, love them too, but they are made with lard at most tamale places.     So, neither of us having any idea what we are doing, we have decided to learn at home.     So far I've ordered a couple of innovative sounding tamale cookbooks.  Both…