The 8th Annual
Feria de Los Moles, founded by Pedro Ramos and organized by Vesper PR's Mariluz Gonzalez, takes over Olvera Street this Sunday to showcase traditional moles from Puebla, Tlaxcala, Oaxaca and more with delicious
adobos (moles with vinegar),
pipianes (pumpkin seed moles) and
moles. The event is the largest food event, and the largest Mexican food event in the U.S. with live music, special guests like representatives from the City of Atlixco, Puebla which is Celebrating Their
50th Anniversary of
Huey Atlizcayotl.
It's a family oriented event in the Los Angeles Mexican community--not your typical divide and conquer tasting event where you and your crazy, gluttonous friends try to rack up a high Instagram food porn count, but an event where you enjoy a plate of mole with friends and family while listening to a nice cumbia. As much as I've always longed for a tasting event to sample lots of mole, I've gotten over it, and have learned to appreciate the Mole Fest for what it is: the best Mexican food event in town for traditional Mexican cuisine. So, here's an easy system for sampling lots of mole.
First, you must arrive early--10a.m.-- and come with a hungry bunch so you can order multiple plates to share. There are many of our local Oaxacan restaurants there, but give the home cooks a shot, especially those from Puebla, because they have been some of the strongest stands at the event. Not to mention that last year, mole royalty showed up; chef Liz Galicia of
El Mural de Los Poblanos came to cook the refined Pueblan moles from one of Puebla's most famous restaurants. Anything from Tlaxcala is a must, because you've never tried them and they're in the same league as the Pueblan and Oaxacan varieties.
Miss Mole, 2014, Briana Marquez
But make room for mole caderas, a specialty of Tehuacán,Puebla; it was the most memorable dish from the 2014 edition of Feria de Los Moles and puts
birria to shame. The flavor profile is similar to a birria but richer and packed with string beans. The dish usually involves fresh slaughtered young goats that are prepared immediately after a ritual killing as part of a festival that takes place on October 20th in Tehuacán called
Festival de la Matanza.
.
Mole de caderas from Puebla, Mexico
Chef Liz Galicia from the world famous El Mural de Los Poblanos
Do it yourself mole tasting: pipian rojo, adobo and mole poblano
The event is free to the public, and it's a pay as you go set up for food and it's your best bet in trying Mexico's famous moles prepared by skilled cooks and chefs at one of the best food events Los Angeles has even seen.
8th Annual Feria de Los Moles, Sunday, October 4th, 10a.m. to 7p.m.
Olvera Street, http://www.feriadelosmoles.com/home/?se=1&idi=1