Holy Mole: Chocolate Sauce, But Not Really
by Judi Sandall
Chef School Review Columnist
Mole is often described as a ‘chocolate sauce, but not really.’ Mole is actually a spicy Mexican sauce, a national culinary treasure, commonly served with poultry.
Mole (mO-lay) is a combination of onions, dried chiles, garlic, many different spices, a variety of ground seeds and nuts—and, incidentally—Mexican unsweetened chocolate. When you hear the phrase unsweetened, the description ‘chocolate sauce, but not really’ begins to make a little more sense.
The History of Mole
Mole comes from the Aztec word ‘molli,’ which means ‘sauce.’ There are several colorful stories about the origins of mole. The consensus among historians seems to be that mole appeared on the Mexican culinary scene in the 1600s. However, long before the Spaniards landed in the New World, chefs were preparing mole poblano for Aztec royalty from recipes passed down from the Mayans.
Celebrating Mole
Top mole chefs, or moleros, and amateur mole aficionados bring their secret recipes to San Pedro Atocpan (in the southern suburbs of Mexico City) in October each year for the National Mole Fair. There are those who say that once you’ve had mole, you’ll never go back to standard gravy.
The Future of Mole
Saucier—a chef who specializes in making sauces—is an extremely important and often prestigious position in the culinary world. Sauces are the foundation for many foods, such as French haute cuisine. Among sauces, mole is the upscale brown gravy equivalent for Mexican dishes. Some mole recipes are time-consuming to prepare—they can take up to three days—but many culinary experts say it’s worth it. There’s nothing quite as tasty as a good mole poblano de quajolote (turkey) for Thanksgiving dinner.
With a solid culinary education, you can learn the intricacies of preparing the sauces that are critical to the success of any great kitchen—including classic mole poblano.
About the Author
Judi Sandall is a technical writer and a regular Chef School Review columnist. She is a graduate of the State University of New York at Binghamton, with a degree in English Literature.
Source(s)
Chile Recipes
The Prosperous Chef
Posted on September 18, 2007 at 3:59 PM
Earlier: Three Classic Comfort Foods Go Upscale
Later: Local Eating for Global Change: Food for Thought
Go back to Daily Specials archives
