If you are planning on vacationing in Mexico and you want a taste of the country, we would urge you to try some thick and delicious traditional mole. Mole is not only a quintessentially Mexican dish, but it is one of the most varied and complex creations to be found anywhere. Mole can vary from family to family, let alone region to region so each taste is a new experience! It can be served over meat and poultry, or simply slathered on a fresh tortilla; the distinctive taste complements many things.
Here are some of the most interesting facts about this most famous and delicious of Mexican sauces…
The Origins of Mole
Despite being a country-wide phenomenon, mole is relatively mysterious. How it came to be, and who first created it, is a matter on which there is no consensus. Most agree that mole Poblano was created in the convent of Santa Rosa in Puebla, but there are differing views of who created it and how it came about! Some say that Fray Pascual came up with it when he accidentally dropped a spice mixture into the pot where turkeys were cooking while others say that it was the sisters of the convent who first invented mole. They were surprised with a visit from the Archbishop and hurried to make a meal from what they had to hand; the result was a thick, delicious sauce poured over turkey. As for mole as a whole, there are some who claim that Moctezuma, believing the Spanish invaders were Gods, served it to the conquistadors!
A concoction of many ingredients
Mole, as we have stated, varies, sometimes quite considerably, from region to region and cook to cook, but a few things are constant. Firstly, it is a complex and time consuming undertaking, secondly, it has many ingredients (sometimes upwards of 30), and thirdly, mole includes chili of some kind. Other ingredients may include nuts, cloves, sugar, cinnamon, or bittersweet chocolate.
Big batches of mole
Due to the time consuming nature of making mole it’s most common for people to make it in large quantities; big batches are simply more efficient. Home cooks don’t always have the equipment to properly blend such large amounts of mole, however, and so most neighborhoods have a local Molino (grinder) who gets it to just the right consistency!
So, the next time you have mole on your meal take the time to appreciate what a unique dish you are eating, and just how much skill it takes to make it!
