What is Mole?

Most people associate the term mole with mole poblano, a sauce with a slightly murky history that usually contains chocolate. Although the origins of this classic paste are disputed, the most common story attributes its invention to enterprising nuns from the Convent of Santa Rose in Puebla, Mexico, who hastily put together the ingredients to address a surprise visit by the archbishop. The inclusion of chocolate is a distinguishing feature of their mole, but across Mexico less-auspicious versions are widely used in everyday dishes. Prepared moles are often sold at local markets and distinguished by color–in my experience, green, yellow and black. They are fairly simply, readily available sauces, based on chiles, complementary spices and aromatics.

Mexican oregano, most belong to the verbena family.

Know Your Oregano

If your recipe calls specifically for Mexican oregano, I recommend that you try to access that variety, which is usually available in Latin American markets. It is not the same as the Mediterranean version, known as Origanum vulgare. Although there are different types of Mexican oregano, most belong to the verbena family. Mexican oregano is sun-dried and provides a similar but more robust flavor than its European counterpart; it has strong citrus notes.