Mole & a Tragic Comedy

5-25-12

Today we got to learn how to make mole (pronounced moe lay).  It is a very labor intensive dish.  There are approximately 26 different ingredients.  Andrea’s senora graciously offered to teach us how to make it.  We pitched in 60 pesos for our share.  We made enough for 100 people.

Here are the ingredients on the table.

We had to cut open each chile pepper and take out all the seeds.  There are several varieties of chiles used in the recipe.

Cindy does not like flies (or bees or any other bug I believe).

Each chile pepper is individually fried in lard.  I was frying the peppers until grease popped on my foot.  I have been told this is a closed toe venture.  Just about all ingredients are sautéed before put in the same pot.  You even use most of the seeds of the chiles.  Here are some of the ingredients: chocolate, peppers, cinnamon, raisens, peanuts, pumpkin or squash seeds, tomatoes, toast, pecans, almonds, pepper seeds, and plantains. 

Catharina getting the last off the spoon.

We didn’t get to eat it.  You have to take the entire pot down to the molero (person that blends it into a paste.  You can freeze the mole for up to a year.  You simply add chicken broth to it and serve over chicken.  Andrea is sending us the recipe.

After we made mole, we went to a drug store, Del Sol, to buy lip gloss.  It is good quality and only about 60 cents each.  Andrea, Catharina, and I each bought several.  Then we stopped by Catharina’s house.  She lives in a beautiful place with a big yard.  I should have taken more pictures.  

Finally, we met everyone else at the theatre to see a play.  It was a tragic comedy.  Dr. McCormick sat next to me and told me the main plot lines of the show.  The actors spoke so fast.  I may have understood 10 words of the entire play, but it was still very good.  I enjoyed the experience.