Mole Pipian Rojo 

A smooth, orange-red sauce, rich with almonds and pumpkin seeds. Mexican cinnamon and other spices play supporting roles. Made with the famous Santa Cruz Red Chili from Tumacacori, Arizona. Mildly spicy. See ingredients.

Mole Adobo

A tangy, brick-red sauce with Ancho chiles, sesame seeds, and Mexican oregano. Ancho is one of the most popular chiles in Mexico, and here it is teamed with Santa Cruz Chili from Tumacacori. Makes a great Mexican chorizo, vegetarian or traditional. Medium spicy. See ingredients.

About Mano y Metate

I start with fresh, whole spices and grind each batch in small quantities. I use high quality ingredients, from as close to home as possible. I love cooking for my friends and family, so I think of my mole powders as cooking from scratch for lots of people, like you.

In Mexico, home cooks often make mole from powders or pastes from the market. When a mole powder is cooked in oil it becomes an aromatic paste. Unlike mole pastes which can contain unknown oils or lard, mole powder is cooked in the oil of your choice, fresh every time.

My maternal grandmother, born in Mexico, used to make mole from a paste. But I have her mother’s mano y metate (grinding stone used to grind corn and make mole pastes) and her molcajete (mortar and pestle used to make salsas and grind spices). That, and my family’s love of cooking and gardening are my inspiration. Plants and food are my creative expressions. Let’s enjoy them together!

Amy Schwemm, Molera (mole maker)