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Pan American experiences
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Latin America |
LATIN AMERICA ------------------------------------------829[EXPERIENCE] MAKING MOLE | |||
Mole Poblano at the Christmas DinnerA Culinary Ritual That Brings Mexican Families TogetherBy Jazmin Agudelo for Ruta Pantera on 1/4/2026 10:16:57 AM |
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| Mole poblano holds a privileged place in Mexican Christmas celebrations, especially at Christmas Eve dinner, where its complexity of flavors transforms a simple meal into an act of family unity and cultural preservation. This thick, aromatic sauce, traditionally served with turkey or chicken, combines pre-Hispanic and colonial elements in a symphony of spicy, sweet, smoky, and earthy notes that requires patience and dedication. In many households, preparing a large batch of mole for the occasion not only ensures abundance for numerous guests but also turns the kitchen into the center of togetherness, filling the air with aromas that announce the arrival of the celebration.
A Recipe of Cultural Mixing The origins of mole date back to the pre-Hispanic era, when Mesoamerican peoples prepared sauces known as mulli based on chiles, seeds, and spices to accompany meats or as ritual offerings. With the Spanish conquest in the sixteenth century, these preparations were enriched with ingredients brought from the Old World, such as almonds, raisins, cinnamon, and cloves, as well as chocolate, which added depth and silkiness. One of the most widespread legends places the creation of mole poblano in the Convent of Santa Rosa in Puebla, where Sor Andrea de la Asunción is said to have improvised the sauce to welcome a viceroy; that said, historians agree that it is the result of a gradual evolution of various regional recipes. Mole poblano has been declared an element of Intangible Cultural Heritage by UNESCO. In certain Mexican gastronomic contexts, it symbolizes cultural mixing (mestizaje) and appears at weddings, national holidays, and above all at Christmas as an emblem of generosity and tradition. |
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How To Make Mole Poblado
For a Christmas dinner with 20 to 30 guests, preparing an abundant mole requires advance planning and precise scaling of ingredients. Ideally, the process begins days ahead: cleaning and toasting the chiles in advance, cooking the main protein ingrediant the day before, and pacing the grinding step to avoid fatigue. Chiles form the base of the color and heat: ancho for sweetness, mulato for earthy depth, pasilla for fruity notes, and optionally chipotle for smokiness. In large quantities, around 500 grams of each variety are used, deveined and seeded to control intensity. Briefly toasting them on a comal or skillet prevents bitterness, while soaking them in hot broth softens them for later blending. Bitter Chocolate Is the Final Touch Thickeners and sweet elements provide balance and texture: almonds, peanuts, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, and raisins are toasted until they release their natural oils, intensifying flavor. Fruits such as fried ripe plantain or apple add subtlety, and burnt bread or tortilla absorbs excess fat. Spices — cinnamon, clove, star anise, cumin, coriander, and pepper — are finely ground and carefully measured so as not to dominate. Mexican table chocolate, preferably bitter and with cinnamon, is added at the end in amounts of up to 500 grams or more for large pots, previously dissolved to achieve that characteristic creaminess without excessive sweetness. Preparing mole in volume demands organization and often collective work. Ingredients are fried in batches in lard — first the chiles, then seeds and spices, and finally roasted tomatoes, onion, and garlic — thus preserving their individual nuances. Everything is blended in stages with the meat broth, repeatedly strained until a smooth paste is obtained. In a large pot, preferably clay for even cooking, this paste is fried until it “sweats” and releases a deep aroma, then diluted with several liters of broth and cooked over low heat for hours, stirring constantly. This lengthy step is essential: the mole reaches a point when fat rises to the surface, a sign of perfect integration of flavors. Contemporary adaptations make the process easier without compromising authenticity. Many families use high-powered blenders or commercial mills for large-scale grinding, or prepare a base paste weeks in advance and freeze it. At Christmas, a whole turkey slowly cooked in the broth that later enriches the sauce is ideal, achieving juiciness and greater depth. Mole improves noticeably with rest — preparing it a day in advance allows flavors to settle — and reheated, it often tastes even better, a tradition many households take advantage of to serve it over several festive meals. The Ritual Goes Beyond the Culinary While the pot is stirred, anecdotes emerge, family recipes are passed down, and the kitchen fills with laughter. Accompanied by red rice, refried beans, warm tortillas, and sprinkled with toasted sesame seeds, Christmas mole turns the table into a space of gratitude and continuity. With more than thirty possible ingredients, this dish encapsulates Mexican diversity: spicy like its Indigenous roots, sweet like European influence, complex like its shared history. In a world of fast food, devoting time to mole reminds us of the importance of patience and love in the kitchen. Year after year, its presence at Christmas dinner strengthens bonds, evokes memories, and celebrates renewal, closing the annual cycle with a deep and incomparable flavor that only Mexican tradition can offer. |
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References: Muñoz Zurita, R. (2012). Diccionario enciclopédico de gastronomía mexicana. Larousse. Kennedy, D. (2000). The essential cuisines of Mexico. Clarkson Potter. Jinich, P. (s. f.). Mole poblano. Pati's Mexican Table. https://patijinich.com/es/mole-poblano/ Larousse Cocina. (s. f.). Mole poblano. https://laroussecocina.mx/receta/mole-poblano-2/ Secretaría de Cultura. (s. f.). La cocina tradicional mexicana. https://www.gob.mx/cultura Cocina Vital. (2021). Prepara 5 litros de mole casero. https://www.cocinavital.mx/recetas/destacadas/prepara-5-litros-de-mole-casero-perfecto-para-fiestas-patrias/2021/08/ |
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