Mole, the iconic Mexican sauce, wasn't created in a single moment by a single person, but rather evolved over time. However, a popular legend attributes its creation to a nun at the Santa Rosa convent in Puebla during the 17th century. This story explains its origins as a celebratory dish.
The Legend of Mole's Creation
The story goes that a nun, anticipating the visit of Juan de Palafox, Viceroy of New Spain and Archbishop of Puebla, prepared a special dish using whatever ingredients she had available in the convent's larder. This resourceful use of ingredients – indigenous chilli peppers, tomatoes, cocoa, and others – resulted in the rich and complex sauce we now know as mole. The need to create a celebratory dish for a high-ranking official spurred the invention.
Key Factors in Mole's Creation:
- Resourcefulness: The nun's need to create a grand meal with limited ingredients led to the innovative combination of flavors.
- Indigenous Ingredients: The use of native Mexican ingredients like chilli peppers, tomatoes, and cocoa formed the foundation of the recipe.
- Celebration: The impending visit of the Viceroy provided the impetus and occasion for the creation of this special dish.
Therefore, mole's creation wasn't a deliberate scientific invention, but a spontaneous culinary creation born out of necessity, resourcefulness, and the desire to honor a distinguished guest. The precise recipe likely evolved over time, with variations developing across different regions of Mexico.
