Mole sauce (MOH-lay) is a traditional Mexican sauce. Its history dates back many centuries and is rooted in indigenous Mexican cuisine.

The exact origin of mole sauce is uncertain, but it is believed to have originated in the region that is now modern-day Mexico many centuries ago in pre-Columbian times when indigenous civilizations in Mexico, like the Aztecs and Mayans, developed various complex sauces made from a combination of ingredients.

The word "mole" is derived from the Nahuatl word "molli," which means sauce or concoction. Mole sauce is typically made by combining a variety of ingredients, including chili peppers, nuts, seeds, spices, chocolate, and other flavorings. The exact ingredients and preparation methods can vary widely depending on the region and the specific recipe.

There are numerous variations of mole sauce throughout Mexico, with each region having its own unique version. Some of the most well-known types of mole include:

Mole Poblano: Originating from the state of Puebla, Mole Poblano is perhaps the most famous type of mole sauce. It typically includes chili peppers, nuts, seeds, chocolate, and various spices.

Mole Negro: Hailing from the state of Oaxaca, Mole Negro is a dark and intensely flavored mole sauce. It features ingredients such as dried chilies, nuts, seeds, spices, and chocolate.

Mole Coloradito: This mole sauce, also from Oaxaca, has a reddish color and a slightly sweet taste. It often includes ancho and guajillo chilies, tomatoes, nuts, seeds, and spices.

Mole Amarillo: Originating from the state of Tlaxcala, Mole Amarillo is a yellow-colored mole sauce. It is made with yellow chilies, tomatoes, tomatillos, nuts, and spices. Mole Verde: Hailing from the state of Oaxaca, Mole Verde is a green mole sauce made with a variety of green chili peppers, herbs, nuts, and seeds.

Mole sauce is incredibly versatile and can be used in a variety of ways. Traditionally, it is most commonly used as a sauce for poultry, such as chicken or turkey. However, it can also be used as a sauce for other meats, such as pork or beef. Mole sauce can also be used as a base for stews, poured over enchiladas or tamales, or even used as a dip for tortilla chips.

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This is really wonderful stuff. Baking and making with it is a joy, and it is so good eating it with spoon is a special treat!

This is a professional, premium almond paste that is made with 66% almonds, whereas most almond paste is made with 50% or less almonds.

Our almond paste contains bitter almond oil for an extra boost of almond flavor, a flavor the Europeans are known for.

Did you know that most of the almond paste used in countries like Switzerland and France is made from almonds grown in California, including some that is exported back here to the USA!

Shop now for Mandelin Premium Almond Paste!

I am still learning, but I think using almond extract along with or in place of vanilla extract can create a much bigger flavor enhancement! Many cake and cookie recipes call for vanilla extract. Substituting almond extract can make them better!

And when working with an almond-based confection, this extract helps make everything stand up!

Shop now for Boyajian Natural Almond Extract!

I have seen this recipe a lot. I mostly did not pay attention to it. Then I was craving a cookie and peanut butter one night. So I tried it because I had the ingredients on hand. It's a good cookie. You could easily eat a whole batch in one sitting. They are that fun!

See the 3 Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies Recipe!

Do you need less salt in your life? Then try salting at the table with just a pinch, just before you put a fork (or spoon) in it.

Buy and get a hit of crunchy Murray River Pink Salt flakes without too much sodium, and let your palate open up to the subtleties of the flavors encapsulated inside.

Flaky salt like this Murray River Pink salt has a wonderful gentle color for a pink flamingo cool look and provides an easy delicate crunch with an excellent bite!

Murray River Salt is from the ancient saline aquifers in the Murray Darling Basin. The mineralized brines of old add a special quality to this delicious salt and make it high in magnesium, calcium, potassium, and iodine. It is a wonderful salt to have. Sprinkle a little today.

Shop now for Murray River Pink Salt!

This toffee is not too sweet, it is a great refreshing treat, and it is not thick, like some. Instead it is thin and svelte. The break is the toffee and not your teeth!

The first bite is joyous, with an easy crunch, an explosion of subtle flavor of chocolate, with the toasted sesame tingling the edges of the tongue. And there is a lot more sesame flavor than just what is on top (look closely at the edge and you will see the black sesame is in the toffee, too)!

The enjoyment factor with a small piece is so much better because a large piece gives you a mouthful which you consume because you are forced to chew and swallow. With a small, thumb-size piece you can taste the chocolate, enjoy the crunch of the sugar which blends with the dark chocolate and get the sesame on the edge of your tongue.

You finish with clean molars, and a lovely dark chocolate flavor that makes you want to suck in your cheeks and the sesame.

This is one of those treats you can't wait to eat!

Shop now for NeoCocoa Black Sesame Seed Toffee Brittle!

The practice of stuffing olives dates back thousands of years. The exact origin of stuffed olives is difficult to pinpoint, but they have been enjoyed in Mediterranean cuisine for centuries. The ancient Greeks and Romans were known to stuff olives, and various fillings were used, including herbs, cheese, and other ingredients.

The earliest documented evidence of stuffed olives comes from ancient Greece. In the 5th century BCE, the Greek playwright Aristophanes mentioned stuffed olives in his comedy play "The Knights."

Stuffed olives have been a culinary tradition in Mediterranean cuisine for a long time and have spread to various parts of the world. A Habanero stuffed olive is a perfect addition to a martini! Or bloody Mary!

Shop now for Habanero Stuffed Manzanilla Olives!

Been thinking about hot fudge sauce since a year ago in May. The arrival of mizuame, a thick starch sweetener similar to corn syrup was the perfect incentive to try a new recipe.

Vanilla ice cream and a nice chocolate fudge syrup sauce on top is perfect with the way the sun has been here.

You could also use this to make chocolate milk or over your morning pancakes. Perfect!

See the easy Hot Fudge Sauce Recipe here!

Also known as "caster sugar", this superfine cane sugar has granules that are very fine and dry. A superior quality sugar, it is the workhorse of professional Pastry Chefs because it dissolves so easily in batters and doughs, leaving them very smooth. Especially appreciated for genoise, other sponge cakes, and meringue. It also dissolves very quickly in liquids, so it's great for iced tea.

Shop now for India Tree Superfine Caster Cane Sugar!

Mizuame is a thick, syrup-like sweetener made from barley and other starches (like corn starch) which is then converted into sugar. Mizuame is added to wagashi to give them a sheen, eaten in ways similar to honey and can be a main ingredient in many Japanese sweets. Mizuame is produced in a very similar fashion to corn syrup and is very similar in taste.

A perfect replacement in recipes for corn syrup!

Shop now for Maeda Mizuame - Water Candy!

This amazing 72% cocoa-content bittersweet chocolate is made from a Grand Cru cocoa bean called Criollo Nacional, with the mark of origin Arriba Mocache, Los Rios, Ecuador.

The cocoa taste is enhanced by the intense coffee and licorice fragrance that conveys the idea of Arriba, creating an unforgettable, sensuous experience. The traditional gentle processing method, which includes 72 hours of conching, unveils an intense dried prune bouquet.

This leads to a long-lasting finish with a light, flowery black currant note. It is one of the best bittersweet chocolates available to pastry chefs and chocolate makers, and it's great for your deep, dark desserts.

Shop now for Grand Cru Dark Chocolate - Arriba Bittersweet 72%!

A tasteless, colorless, and odorless thickening agent for food, when dissolved in hot water and then cooled, forms a jelly. It is useful for many purposes, such as jellying molded desserts or salads, thickening cold soups, and glazing preparations.

Gelatin is a protein found in bones, cartilage, tendons, and other tissues. Much of the commercial gelatin today is a by-product of pigskin. Until the advent of commercial gelatin in the late 19th century, jellied dishes were not very popular because housewives had to make their own jelling agent by laboriously boiling calves' feet or knuckles.

In small amounts, gelatin adds body; however, in greater amounts, gelatin can set a liquid so firmly that it can be easily sliced or cut into shapes. Gelatin's molecules attract water. Gelatin granules swell when they are rehydrated in a liquid, and they completely dissolve as they are heated. As gelatin cools, the proteins join together to form a web, which holds the moisture. This system is called a gel.

Gelatin, a thickening agent for food, is available in two forms—granules and leaves—and must be softened or bloomed in water and melted before use. These silver gelatin sheets require complete submersion in water during the blooming process and must be squeezed to force out excess water before use. Bloomed gelatin is melted over low heat or a hot water bath. Once melted, gelatin is stirred into a warm or room temperature base mixture. If the base is extremely cold, the gelatin will begin to set up unevenly.

These gelatin leaves are made in France and are of the silver label type A. Each leaf weighs approximately 2.5 grams (0.088 ounces). The producers recommend using 15 to 18 leaves to gel 1 liter of mixed fruit purée. (Store in a cool, dry place.) Leaf gelatin is often called for in professional recipes and European dessert recipes like charlottes and panna cotta.

Remember: whether you use granulated or leaf gelatin sheets, always ensure that they are properly soaked before dissolving them. This is vital for even dissolving and setting. Add a little of the mixture you wish to set to the dissolved gelatin sheet to dilute it. Never add chilled liquids or mixtures to gelatin as the cold will set it into strings. Always stir the diluted, dissolved gelatin sheet into the main batch of mixture at room temperature. Heat the gelatin until it dissolves, but do not boil it or it will not set.

Shop now for Gelatin Sheets - Silver Label Type A!

Adorn your baked goods with a sparkly sprinkling of crunchy Hail Sugar.

Hail Sugar (or Pearl Sugar) is made of compressed sugar crystals, which will not dissolve into your batter or dough. Instead they retain their shape to give a beautiful sparkling finish to everything from cookies and traditional Swedish rolls to croissants and Panettone.

Hail sugar is a wonderful little secret that is a great addition to your baking fun.

Shop now for Hail Sugar!

Best Bing Cherries!
"Every cherry was perfect, fat, sweet and crispy. Year after year they arrive at the peak of perfection."
-- sally

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