Just over 504 years ago Aztec Emperor Moctezuma II greeted Spanish conquistador Hernando Cortes at the entrance of Tenochtitlan as if a god, serving him the food of the gods--mole'.
Some credit nuns from a convent in Puebla with making up the concoction for a surprise visit from the archbishop, mixing xocolati or chocolate with several spices on hand.
While the city of Tlaxcala also lays claim to the origin of mole', 90% of Oaxaca is dedicated to making the ingredient in seven variations: colorado, mole' negro, mancha mantales, verde, amarillo, chichilo and coloradito.
My first encounter with mole' was in 1966 at Linterna Verde, a noted Matamoros eatery with bird cages on the ceiling.
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| Alex Guerrero |
Only two people I've known even remembered the restaurant; Martin Sarkis and the late Alex Guerrero.
For at least a decade I tried various mole' recipes, but, without success and ended up simply buying the ready-made Dona Maria mole'.
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