Day of the Dead

[shelora]

Great job, Adam, wonderful pictures (as usual) and wonderful interpretations of this fascinating day that is so important to Mexicans. I was born in Mexico and spent many summers there as a boy. The imagery of death within life permeates throughout much pre-Columbian art and, like so much in Mexico, has become intricately interlayered and blended together - like a rich, complex and spicy mole poblano - with Hispanic culture and catholicism. Though we don't celebrate it, I find the Day of the Dead very appealing, this day, this concept, this innate belief that the departed are still very much with us and that this should be celebrated with, what else, food, family and friends.

Some years ago there was a wonderful exhibition in London's Museum of Mankind about the Day of the Dead. Does anyone else recall this? And of course last year's magnificent exhibition about the Aztecs was simply awesome in scope and scale - and a very different celebration of death within life and life within death.

Marc

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So beautiful Adam! Delicious looking dishes. And you are spot on regarding the influences on the cuisine of Mexico. So rich in flavourful history.

The candy photo you posted up thread is totally intriguing. You made all these?

The key to the moles from my experience is the seasoning of the sauce. Most important is to begin with frying the sauce, then start adding broth, letting it season some more.

The thing that I like to do to get a grasp of this concept, is to taste the mole at the beginning before frying and then throughout the seasoning process. It's remarkable how it goes from something sharp and bitter to smooth and velvety with the different spice components balanced.

I find making moles truly magical.

And Marc, I do recall the exhibit you are referring to in London. I believe the Linares family were flown from Mexico City to do an installation of their paper mache figures they are so famous for. Large skeletons and alebrijes. Their work is incredible. I hope their work is part of the museum's permanent collection.

Hasta pronto,

Shelora

[Adam Balic]

So beautiful Adam! Delicious looking dishes. And you are spot on regarding the influences on the cuisine of Mexico. So rich in flavourful history.

  The candy photo you posted up thread is totally intriguing. You made all these?

Yes, but they are made from sweet potato as the texture of the UK pumpkin is not good enough for this type of thing (without lime treatment maybe). Essentially, cut up veg into cubes, place in a saucepan and cover with an equal amount of sugar, leave overnight. This will draw out a lot of liquid. The next day heat to dissolve the sugar and turn up the heat to boil for 15 minutes. Leave overnight. Repeat this for 4 days. At this point the veg (or fruit, this is a common technique for producing candied fruits) the veg will be impregnated with sugar and quite translucent/bright. Yu can leave them in syrup or dry them and surgar coat them as I have.

The key to the moles from my experience is the seasoning of the sauce. Most important is to begin with frying the sauce, then start adding broth, letting it season some more.

The thing that I like to do to get a grasp of this concept, is to taste the mole at the beginning before frying and then throughout the seasoning process. It's remarkable how it goes from something sharp and bitter to smooth and velvety with the different spice components balanced.

I find making moles truly magical.

One think that is not stated enough in the Mexican cookbooks I have read is just how important the initial frying of the sauce is for removing the bitterness. It was only a passing comment by Ranch-Gordo that alerted me to this fact.

[shelora]

One think that is not stated enough in the Mexican cookbooks I have read is just how important the initial frying of the sauce is for removing the bitterness. It was only a passing comment by Ranch-Gordo that alerted me to this fact.

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Very true. Excellent point.