Seis de Mayo

When most people I know (sans culinary classmates) think about Mexican food, they tell me they think of the gooey enchilada, the ubiquitous burrito, and the omnipresent taco. But, the cuisine enjoyed south of the border is far more complex and diverse than the commonly known combination of meat, beans, cheese, and tortillas.

With the passing of Cinco de Mayo yesterday, I thought it appropriate to reflect on the amazing foods of the former Spanish colony.

I mention the Spanish because their influence on the region, harsh as it was, can’t be ignored. For instance, the Spanish introduced pork and chicken to the region, and can you imagine a Mexican restaurant without either of those things on the menu? They also introduced European methods as well, such as roasting, deep-frying (mmmm, chimichangas), and my personal favorite, ceviche.

Separation from the European continent caused development to go in different directions, however. For instance, Mexico developed their own set of “mother sauces”: Rojo — a red sauce based on sweet and spicy chiles, Verde — a sour green sauce based primarily on tomatillos, and Moles — highly complex sauces based on chiles, fruit, nuts, seeds, and sometimes chocolate.

Three major regions of Mexico have had the greatest effect on the cuisine. We start with Vera Cruz, the region north of the Yucatan peninsula (more on that below), extending up to the border with the United States. Foods here are, for the most part, dominated by Spanish and Mediterranean influences. Fish and shellfish are common here, as well as the use of garlic and olive oil. Rice is the most common starch, and the use of spices is less common than herbs, such as cilantro, and epazote. Also, it is not uncommon to find cream-based white sauces in the regional cuisine.

From Vera Cruz we go south, to Oaxaca. Home of the Zapotecs, and meeting place for the Mayans, birthplace of Mescal (known by another name here in the states: Tequila. Mmmm… tequila, sez Mrs D...), and of wonderful coffees grown in the mountains. It is also known as the “land of seven moles.” Oaxacan food is known for is generous use of spices, primary among them being cinnamon, allspice, and cloves. Many aromatic stews and braised items are common. And of course, as mentioned earlier, moles.

Most of the people I know (again, classmates excluded) who even know what a mole is, automatically assume it to be a dark sauce flavored with chocolate. In fact there are seven distinct moles, only two containing chocolate.

Mole Amarillo — a yellow mole based on yellow chiles and thickened with masa.
Mole de Castillo — sweet spices (cloves, allspice, etc), thickened with day old bread.
Mole Chichilo — a dark red mole based on chiles and avocado leaves, also thickened with masa.
Mole Coloradito — flavored primarily with fruits and chocolate.
Mole Manchamantel — known as the “tablecloth stainer” for its use of achiote paste.
Mole Negro — the black, or burnt mole, all ingredients must be charred, fruits and chocolate are common.
Mole Pepian — known for its use of pumpkin seeds.
Mole Rojo — the red mole, based on chiles, also sometimes thickened with day old bread
Mole Verde — based on tomatillos, green tomatoes, and fresh herbs.

Last, but certainly not least, there is the pyramid-riddled Yucatan peninsula. Primarily Mayan in its influences, employing milder flavors; Achiote paste is extraordinarily common, as are black beans, pumpkin seeds, pibil (a stew/sauce used with various meats), pickled onion, sour orange, and hard cooked eggs.

The amazing diversity in Mexican cuisine rivals that of China and Southeast Asia. Personally, there’s nothing better on a balmy spring night than a bowl of my mole negro chili, and a refreshing Corona. Happy belated Cinco de Mayo!

This entry was posted on Friday, May 6th, 2005 at 2:22 pm and is filed under chopper's lab. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.