Mexicans love to party. We joke about turning any event, good or bad, into a celebration, even death. Mexican celebrations are not complete without food, but not just any kind of food. There must be a rule somewhere that stipulates that if the food doesn’t take at least three days to prepare then it isn’t worth for important celebrations.
That’s why when Foodbuzz decided to celebrate the launch of its new Featured Publisher Community with the 24, 24, 24 event I knew I wanted to be part of it. My proposal for this amazing celebration was the traditional Mexican dish Chiles en Nogada, which are stuffed poblano peppers in walnut sauce. The presentation, the richness of the sauce and the combination of sweet, savory and spicy flavors are a celebration by itself. No wonder this is the preferred dish for our most important celebration, Independence Day.
Every September 15th and 16th Mexicans gather together to celebrate the Independence from the Spanish Crown. This movement started in the city of Dolores, in the state now known as Hidalgo, the night of September 15th, 1810 when Father Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla gave the Cry of Dolores that ignited the war of Independence. This war lasted until 1821 when Agustin de Iturbide, who later became the first Mexican Emperor, signed the treaty of Cordoba that granted Mexico its Independence.
On his way to Mexico City, Agustin de Iturbide stopped in the city of Puebla where the townspeople decided to hold a feast to celebrate the Independence from Spain and Iturbide’s saint’s day, August 28th. The Augustinian nuns of Santa Monica convent were in charge of creating a special dish for the occasion. Using local ingredients that were in season they came up with a dish that proudly bore the colors of the triumphant army, green, white and red. That’s how chiles en nogada were born 187 years ago.
Chiles en nogada is my parents’ favorite dish. My mom tells us that her mom used to make at least one hundred of them every year for my grandfather’s saint’s day. Coincidentally, his name was also Agustin so they celebrated the same day than Agustin de Iturbide. When they acquired the restaurant they included them in the menu every Friday from July to October. When my dad took over the operation of the restaurant, the tradition didn’t stop.
When I was a kid I wasn’t too thrilled about chiles en nogada season because we had to help in the preparation. Cracking walnuts open and peeling off the skin was my worst nightmare. The only part that I really enjoyed was going to Amecameca, a small town close to the volcano Popocatepetl, where my dad used to buy big sacks of fresh walnuts. The quality and freshness of the ingredients are the most important aspect in the preparation of the dish.
What’s so special about this dish? You really have to try it to find out. All the hard work and long hours that are involved in its preparation are worth when you take the first bite. That’s exactly what I realized last night when, after a long week, I sat down to enjoy dinner with a group of friends. The delicious food, but especially the great company, made me forget all about the hard work and long hours I spent preparing this special dinner. Is there anything better than to enjoy a good meal with your best friends?
Chiles en nogada were the main course for last night’s dinner, but the rest of the courses were also a celebration to the variety and richness of Mexican cuisine. This was the menu:
First course: Black bean salsa in mini tortilla cups.
Second course: Guacamole in mini tortilla cups.
Third course: Spicy pumpkin soup in pumpkin bowls.
Fourth course: Chiles en nogada.
Dessert: Capirotada.
The real stars of the night were my friends. I had a great time with them and this picture shows that they did too. Thank you guys and thank you foodbuzz for this great opportunity.
Making this dinner brought so many childhood memories back, which is a very good thing, and taught me some new lessons. Next time I will get some help for the preparation and cleaning because now I am exhausted. I will also appoint somebody to take pictures. I was so busy that I missed so many great shots. And I will never order wine from cellarbrokers.com again. I was planning to serve a Mexican Petite Sirah that got very good reviews, but I never got it from cellarbrokers.com, even though I ordered it 3 weeks ago. But at least we could enjoy my second favorite Mexican beer, Negra Modelo.
Please stay tuned for the recipes that I will be posting this week and more stories of this amazing night.
¡Buen provecho!
For more 24, 24, 24 participatns please visit the official foodbuzz website.
35 Replies
Yay Ben, What a great job you did on the 24,24,24!!! The food looks incredible and your friends seemed to really enjoy themselves!!!
Posted on October 26th, 2008 at 4:17 pm
Wow! Very impressive Ben! A great effort indeed and everyone certainly looks happy!
Posted on October 26th, 2008 at 4:46 pm
Boy, both it looks like you threw a great party!
Posted on October 26th, 2008 at 4:53 pm
I love your history lessons as much as I love your food!
What a great read that leaves our mouths watering in the end.
Posted on October 26th, 2008 at 5:00 pm
Congrats Ben on surviving a difficult but enjoyable evening. The dishes look delish and I agree the guests were the highlight of the night.
Posted on October 26th, 2008 at 5:01 pm
What an excellent dinner; the history, the combination of dishes, friends — I, too, can think of nothing better. I’m feeling for you on all the walnuts you had to peel and know just how exhausted you are. When you find out how to juggle the photography and cooking let me know. My poor camera ends up with more food on it than our plates, it seems! Congrats on the outstanding success of your celebration! Mwah!
Posted on October 26th, 2008 at 5:13 pm
Wow, I love everything you made. I would taste all the food. Nice pic with the apron.
Posted on October 26th, 2008 at 5:44 pm
This looks wonderful! Your feast has my mouth watering. Delicious!!
Posted on October 26th, 2008 at 5:53 pm
Very impressive Ben!And great photos. I love seeing these round ups. I have never heard of that Chili dish before but now I want to try it.
Posted on October 26th, 2008 at 6:14 pm
Beautiful dishes, great photos, warm and interesting folklore about your family and your experience in Mexico. I look forward to the next installation with the recipes.
Posted on October 26th, 2008 at 6:16 pm
Wow I would so love to have been at that dinner!
All the way around Ben you did fantastic! Every detailed covered.
Posted on October 26th, 2008 at 6:20 pm
Memories derived from food are my favorite. Looks like this was a smash hit, Ben! I’m dying for one of those chiles en nogada. And the negro modela.
Posted on October 26th, 2008 at 10:01 pm
Ben – this looks like a wonderful meal – and I loved hearing your recollections of chiles en nogada season.
And I am totally with you on nominating a photographer!!
Posted on October 27th, 2008 at 5:26 am
Hey congrats on a successful delish dinner party! I am just reading up who is also part of the 24,24,24 like me.
well done!
Posted on October 27th, 2008 at 7:27 am
Ben I love the stories you share just as much as the food, thanks for that!
it all looks amazing & your friends look like their having a great time
Posted on October 27th, 2008 at 10:04 am
What a great story and fabulous food. I agree on the help front though ….never underestimate!
Posted on October 27th, 2008 at 10:41 am
Looks like you had a great time! I’m intrigued by the dessert, it looks delicious but what is it?
Posted on October 27th, 2008 at 10:47 am
Congratulations Ben on a spectacular feast! I loved hearing the history of the Chiles en Nogada. And I also didn’t know walnuts were an indigenous nut to Mexico! I love walnut sauces and can’t wait to see your recipe for it! (if you post it that is
)
Cheers!
Posted on October 27th, 2008 at 10:56 am
What a great meal! All of the food was beautiful! I loved the history with it too. I participated in this month’s 24, 24, 24 as well and it was so much fun! Congratulations on your successful night!
Posted on October 27th, 2008 at 11:29 am
looks like everybody had fun… i love the mini tortilla cups and the pumpkin bowl… very creative…
Posted on October 27th, 2008 at 11:53 am
Congrats and being picked! Looks like a great event!! I had so much fun with my 24,24,24. We had a fall flavors ice cream tasting
Posted on October 27th, 2008 at 12:18 pm
This is a wonderful meal- congratulations on a beautiful-looking menu. You have very lucky friends!
Posted on October 27th, 2008 at 2:33 pm
I too had a great time doing the 24 event, too. Do you have a recipe for the black bean salsa posted on the site?
Posted on October 27th, 2008 at 6:57 pm
The guacamole in the mini tortilla cups is a sweet serving idea and the pumpkin soup is a favorite of mine. Great post!
Posted on October 27th, 2008 at 7:55 pm
Sounds like a wonderful menu Ben. Congratulations of being chosen for the 24-24-24. Looks like everyone had a grand time:D
Posted on October 28th, 2008 at 8:44 am
It seems that your party was a great success and all your dishes look delicious, your photos are fantastic and the history behind the preparation of the Chiles en Nogada very enlightening. Can’t wait to see your recipes.
Posted on October 28th, 2008 at 9:08 am
Fantastic looking meal, Ben … I am already planning to try every single one of these dishes!
Posted on October 28th, 2008 at 11:54 am
All of the dishes look so beautiful but you can tell that the chiles en nogada was the star. I can’t wait to see the recipe for it!
Posted on October 29th, 2008 at 6:46 pm
Great Mexican recipes. I love reading about the 24 24 24 dinners.
Posted on October 29th, 2008 at 11:10 pm
now this is real party food. love the job you did on this!
Posted on October 30th, 2008 at 8:49 am
Ben, this was truly a feast! What a gorgeous presentation for 24 24 24! LOVED it!
Posted on October 31st, 2008 at 6:27 am
Hey Ben – thanks for visiting my blog! Whoa! What a feast you have here. I have always lusted after this dish in a cookbook I have from Patricia Quintana, but never made it, I am now inspired thanks to you.
Posted on November 1st, 2008 at 9:21 pm
great job, ben.i would’ve loved to have been one of your friends. damn that cellarbrokers.com! i’ll never be using them! i would love to read your recipe for the chiles en nogada. they look amazing. are they like a chile rellano?
Posted on November 2nd, 2008 at 11:23 am
I really like mexican food (maybe because it is a lot like Indian food) and your dinner spread looks delicious. Especially the starters and the capirotada. I’ve made it, and though we don’t really like bread pudding, This was fabulous.
In fact, I think it is unfair to classify Capirotada as bread pudding!
Posted on November 7th, 2008 at 12:59 am
I’ve got this page bookmarked so that when my Mexican “Mom” (from Mexico City) comes to visit in a couple of months she can make the Chiles en Nogada. The total meal looks delicious.
Posted on February 5th, 2009 at 4:46 pm
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