Searing Memories

Illustration By Lisa Kirkpatrick

Moles: The Essence of Mexico

Within the rich culinary tradition of Mexico, perhaps no other dish represents the complexity of Mexican culture and identity better than mole. There are many varieties of this quintessential Mexican dish. Each is an exotic combination of ingredients that produces a flavorful, complex sauce that can accompany a number of meats and vegetables, depending on the type of mole, its color, and the region where it is made. And while many people erroneously think of mole as "that Mexican chocolate sauce," fact is, most moles do not contain chocolate, and those that do contain only but a touch. Aside from the many spices, nuts, and seeds that are some of the main components of mole, the ingredient they all have in common is chiles, in a mind-boggling variety. A standard mole recipe will have at least three or four chiles that can include ancho, guajillo, pasilla, cascabel, chilhuacle, mulato, or chipotle, among many others.

Perhaps the most famous mole of all is mole Poblano, reputedly the first mole created inside the walls of a convent in the state of Puebla in the 17th century. The state of Oaxaca is widely known as "the land of seven moles," all uniquely distinct from one another in color, ingredients, and flavor. Yet very few people outside of Mexico know that some of the best mole in the country comes from San Pedro Actopan, a tiny town in Milpa Alta, the southernmost district of Mexico City.

Actopan's destiny as a major mole producer dates back to the 1940s, when a local family decided to make mole pastes to sell commercially. By the 1950s, Actopan was well known for its homemade mole pastes, which were sold in markets all over Mexico City. Today, Actopan produces 80% of the total commercial mole pastes in the country, with 90% of the tiny town's population dedicated to this industry of family-owned micro businesses. Since 1977, the town of Actopan unites annually to celebrate its famous product with a festival, known these days as Feria Nacional del Mole.

The fair goes on for three weeks during the month of October. More than 50 restaurants and mole makers set up shop on temporary stands at the fairgrounds and in the streets of Actopan, attracting thousands of visitors every year. In 2002, the fair coincided with my annual trip back home, and I was more than willing to attend. So on to the "chicken bus" it was, through surreal landscapes of mezquite and nopal cactus that eventually gave way to pine trees and patches of wild marigold mint.

Since the fair has grown exponentially every year, the fairgrounds were moved to a large meadow in the outskirts of town. We could see dozens of little makeshift restaurants decorated with hundreds of colorful tissue-paper banners, all with a "storefront" holding huge clay pots full of different mole pastes. As people walked by, vendors would approach with tiny plastic spoons with samples of their moles, each claiming to be "the best in Actopan." We must have tried at least 20 different samples of mole almendrado, mole verde, mole colorado, mole negro, mole de Actopan, and many, many others. After picking the restaurant where we wanted to eat, we entered the huge communal tent where the restaurants were temporarily doing business and were warmly greeted by a young woman who gladly recited the house specialties. After some of Milpa Alta's famous ensalada de nopales and a cold beer, we dove into the moles. We chose rabbit in red mole flavored with pulque, the ancient Mexican beverage made from the fermented juice of the agave plant; chicken in pipián, a mole made with pumpkin seeds; and turkey in mole almendrado, made with almonds. Each had its own distinct characteristics. The red mole was brightly colored, tangy, and quite spicy, but not enough to mask the delicate taste of the rabbit. The pipián was creamy and nutty, with a slightly coarse consistency. The almendrado was dark, dense, and earthy, with a subtle bite finishing with a hint of sweetness. They all came with fresh handmade tortillas, hot from the griddle. A small mariachi band entertained a table nearby. To me, that moment represented the pure, unadulterated essence of Mexico.

Just before leaving the fair, we loaded up on mole pastes to take home. I bought some powdered almendrado and some mole de Actopan paste, hoping to bring a little taste of that day back to Texas. Sometimes, when I get homesick, I take out a few spoonfuls and fix some up for dinner.