Mexican food

Mexican food attracts a lot of attention, and for good reason. Each of Mexico's several regions offers a plethora of flavors and cooking styles. The deep, varied flavor possibilities of Mexican cuisine are perhaps best exemplified by mole sauce. Mole is a spicy, peppery, sweet, and nutty sauce that tastes well with meats and vegetables. Mole is frequently produced with tens of components and simmered over a period of days or even weeks.

Hugo Ortega, a chef at the restaurant Xochi in Houston, arguably makes some of the greatest moles in Texas. Ortega, the first Mexican chef to get the coveted James Beard Award, was born in Mexico City to parents who are from Puebla. He did so in 2017 (via Texas Monthly). Mole is made the day before it is served at Xochi. Herbs, tomatoes, onions, garlic, and chilies are simmered for four hours before being pureed. The mole is cooked the following day after the addition of chicken stock. The mole is finally fried to reduce bitterness. You should try the mole tasting, which includes four traditional mole variants served with Oaxacan cheese, beans, and a toasted tortilla called a tlayuda, if you're visiting Xochi for this fabled sauce.