The Gourmet Latino Festival – 7 moles from Oaxaca this week at Zarela

The party aspect of the Gourmet Latino Festival is over and we all had a great time.  The most significant moment for me,  among many special moments,  was being honored by a young and very talented chef, Sue Torres, who I mentor.   Like I said in my “acceptance” speech:  Mimi Sherman, upon receiving the first James Beard award for something, sent someone to receive her prize and she had them read her acceptance speech: “Of all the awards I have received, this is undoubtedly the most…..recent.  Well it was for me too but it was also the recognition that has touched me most because I know that Sue will continue to fulfill my mission which is to make my culture  known and understood through her food.

The Gourmet Latino Festival continues at each participating restaurant that will provide a traditional menu.  We are serving  7 moles from Oaxaca through the weekend and will be using the fabulous herbs of the Rodriguez farm

Photograph Michael Sofronski www.michaelsaofronski.com

We participated in three  events at  the Gourmet Latino Festival June 4-12th.  We  served our famous huitlacoche casserole at the kick off party on June 4th at the Astor Center.  On Saturday June 5th I did a demo on how to make a green mole with farmers’ fresh herbs and my beloved hoja santa.

Early chronicles and codex show mole being served from a bowl with no handles held on one hand and tortillas or tamales in the other.  So while we’ll be serving the mole in a traditional manner at the event, at the restaurant we will feature the seven moles of Oaxaca as specials all week including this luscious fish with green mole.

Photo by Michael Sofronski www.michaelsofronski.com