Holy Mole - Oaxacan Mole Pop-up Dining

For sure, who hasn’t heard of mole (moh-lay). The mystical Mexican chocolate sauce which is made from up to 30 ingredients and takes 24-hours to develop its flavours has been venerated in movies (Chocolat), and travel books.

When Ben Barton of the Kiwizine and Auckland Pop-Up Dining planned a mole evening, I was eager to be a part of it. I would have also loved to have taken part in the making of the mole, but at the end of a long workday, it’s a case of the spirit is willing, but the body is weak. The recipe Ben and team (Tessa and Erin) used was Rick Bayless’, a multi-stage, incredibly involved recipe.

Nearly there....

The finished dish

Mole negro is made from chillies (mulatto, pasilla, guajillo and chipotle), spices (cloves, black pepper, cinnamon, oregano, thyme), nuts and seeds (peanuts, almonds, pecan, sesame seeds), aromatics (onions, garlic), vegetables (green tomatoes, tomatillo) and carbs (stale bread, tortilla and banana). These are roasted, cooked, pureed, concentrated with oil and chicken broth. The secret ingredient is of course, Mexican chocolate. See Kiwizine for the recipe, if you would like to try this at home (I have the utmost respect for anyone who is insane and patient enough to make this!)

Pear and chocolate frangipane tart

It’s been a whole year since I started the blog, and what a wonderful ride it has been! I’ve met  wonderful Kiwi bloggers, read some beautiful prose (some bloggers perform virtual Cirque du Soleil-like acrobatics with the English language) and have been introduced to new flavours and tastes. Thank you for reading, as I continue my journey down the wonderful rabbit hole of Foodie Wonderland.

For this blogiversary, I thought I'd make a tart. Pear and chocolate is a match made in dessert heaven. Something about the slightly gritty but custard-like texture of a juicy pear and the intense flavour of chocolate makes it work. It’s as if the bad boy of fruits has a sophisticated fetish.

Nigel Slater wrote in Tender Vol.II that pears behave differently in the heat compared to apples. Fresh pears, no matter how ripe, dry out and lose their subtle flavour in the oven. They need to be poached for best results. If you prefer not to poach your own pears (but trust me, it is throw-everything-in-a-pot-and-simmer easy), canned pears are a great substitute. And I have utterly no shame in using frozen pastry to save time.