Pronounced "MO-lay" the word comes from the Nahuatl (Aztec language)word "mulli", which means, sauce, mixture, stew, or concoction. In its pre-Hispanic form, this stew was made of dried chiles, tomatoes, seeds, and chocolate. This dish pleased the royal courts, and continues to delight today. Each mole is as unique as the family who makes it, and the king of all moles is the complex black mole, made from over 30 ingredients. The chiles alone include; guajillos, pasillas, anchos, and chipotles. Other ingredients include: peanuts, cinnamon, raisins, plantains, chocolate and various herbs. Making mole is an all day endeavor, so be sure you have plenty of time on your hands. Of course, like all modern and busy cooks today, one can find high quality, prepared mole pastes that require reconstituting with stock, tomatoes, more chocolate and sometimes even peanut butter!

The Mexican tradition for the Day of the Dead has its roots in Pre-Hispanic rituals combined with Catholicism. The concept of Death has a central place in the lives of indigenous people in Mexico. Death, however, is not feared, as it is not viewed as final, but as an integral part of the cycle between life and death. The tradition of Day of the Dead remains one of the most celebrated in Mexico, particularly in the regions of Oaxaca, Michoacan, Chiapas and Yucatan. Home altars are erected in homage to family members who have passed on. They are decorated with photographs of the loved one, and objects representing things they enjoyed during their lifetimes. Common to many altars are representations of earth, wind, fire and water. Earth is represented by flowers, usually marigolds or cempazuchil, wind is represented by papel picado, or cut out tissue paper; fire by candles. A path of marigolds is often spread from the entry of the home to the altar, to help lead the spirit. Gravesites are cleaned and decorated, with flowers and candles. Food and drink are placed at the gravesite, as it is believed that the journey from the underground, Mictlan, is arduous and the spirits need nourishment upon their arrival. Tamales, mole, atole, coffee, tequila and pan de muertos are prepared. Day of the Dead is a time of remembrance. To forget, is to let our loved ones die. By commemorating our loved ones, we celebrate our own lives.

The Mexican painter, Frida Kahlo, (1907-1954) exhibited in private galleries during her lifetime, was rediscovered in Europe in the 1980’s, and has grown to cult status ever since. Madonna began collecting her art and Selma Hayek, starred in and produced a movie about her life. Why the fascination with Frida, or as some call it Fridamania? Her artwork was deeply personal, she embraced Mexico’s indigenous roots as expressed in her colorful clothing, she held the fascination of most men who met her including, Diego Rivera, Andre Breton, Leon Trotsky, Isamu Noguchi, she loved a good party, had the mouth of a sailor, and worked tirelessly on behalf of social and political reform in Mexico. Frida’s complex life, thought and art reflected the dualism that pervades Mexican consciousness, with deep roots in pre-Hispanic cosmology. According to Biographer, Hayden Herrera, “Frida would have been gratified by the multifarious memories she left behind. She was, in fact, one of the creators of her own legendary stature, and because she was so complex and so intricately self aware, her myth is full of tangents, ambiguities and contradictions.”

Monarchs east of the Rockies migrate each year to the Transvolcanic mountains of central Mexico. Millions and millions of butterflies fly south. In 1975 the scientific community finally tracked down the wintering sites of the Monarch in Mexico. Until then, the Monarch butterflies' winter hideouts had been a secret known only to local villagers and landowners. The sites the Monarchs use during the winter have particular characteristics that enable their survival. Trees on which to cluster are one of the most important elements of the sites. Nearby trees, streams, underbrush, and fog or clouds all form an intricate natural ecosystem that is the monarchs' winter habitat. These conditions are found in oyamel fir forests, which occur in a very small area of mountain tops in central Mexico. The surrounding trees serve as a buffer to the winds and snow. They cluster together, covering whole tree trunks and branches, and cling to fir and pine needles. The tall trees make a thick canopy over their heads. Protective trees and bushes soften the wind and shield the butterflies from the occasional snow, rain, or hail.