HOW, WHEN AND WHERE IS THIS DELICIOUS AND COLORED DISH BORN?
There are several versions about the origin of this dish, typical of Independence Day celebrations. The most popular says that this dish was created in 1821 by the Augustinian nuns of the convent of Santa Monica, in Puebla, to celebrate the recent Independence of Mexico and the saint of the new emperor, Agustín de Iturbide. Taking advantage of just that in the month of September the seasonal products are the pomegranate and the nut of Castilla in this state, the Augustinian nuns prepared a dish that will honor the festivities.
They took poblano peppers, roasted, peeled and stuffed them with a mince of pork with an wide variety of products, such as tomatoes, onions, garlic, seasonal fruits, nuts, almonds, pine nuts, spices, etc. The sauce was made from fresh walnuts decorating it at the end with pomegranate fresh seeds and parsley leaves, which achieved the colors of the new born nation, Mexico.
Another story, more romantic than the previous one, is described by the famous writer Artemio de Valle-Arizpe who details that in the Trigarante army there were three soldiers whose girlfriends lived in Puebla. Excited by Independence and having their lovers back, they decided to create a dish to receive them. Each one chose an ingredient that represented the color of the army and began to cook entrusted to the Virgen del Rosario and San Pascual Bailón.
Although these stories are the best known because they are related to Mexican independence, experts in the history of gastronomy assure that there are recipes prior to these dates to prepare chiles en nogada. For example, in the book “The typical poblano cuisine and the stews of its religious”, the author Salazar Monroy says that the recipe for these chiles dates back to the 18th century. The Traslosheros family, from Atlixco, assures that chiles en nogada are a family tradition, with detailed records prior to 1821. With which version do you stay?
Anyway, Chiles en Nogada are a masterpiece of Mexican cuisine, that promotes nationalism in our country through the celebration and history that revolve around this dish.
