San Pedro Atocpan
Encyclopedia
San Pedro Atocpan is one of the communities that make up the borough of Milpa Alta
in the Federal District of Mexico, better known as Mexico City
. This location is known for the preparation of mole sauce
, which employs over 90% of the community and provides almost all of the sauce that is eaten in Mexico City. Despite being in the Federal District and the second largest district in size, Milpa Alta is distinctly rural. Only 116,000 of Mexico City’s 8 million inhabitants live in the entire borough, and as of 2005, only 8,997 lived in San Pedro Atocpan. The name “Atocpan” is from Nahuatl
and means “on fertile soil” The community is located in the northwest of the borough, on the highway between Mexico City and Oaxtepec
, Morelos
. It has a territory of 87.65 hectares, and is about 2,500 meters above sea level. The land here is rugged as it is wedged between the Cuauhtzin Volcano and Teutli Mountain.
This community was designated as a "Barrio Mágico"
by the city in 2011.
The community is best known for the preparation of mole, a traditional sauce that comes in a variety of flavors. Modern mole is derived from a pre-Hispanic preparation called “chilmulli,” which in Nahuatl means “chili pepper sauce” During the colonial period, this sauce was modified mostly by adding ingredients such as nuts, peanuts, sesame seeds and spices such as cinnamon. While the flavors have multiplied and changed, the consistency of the sauce has remained the same.
Almost 92% of the community’s population makes a living related to the preparation and sale of the sauce. The moles of San Pedro Atocpan are not made in factories but rather in small family-owned enterprises. Moles of different flavors, smells, colors and textures are made, but the specialty is “mole almendrado” (almond mole), which was invented here and made with between 26 and 28 ingredients, always with a base of three chili peppers: mulato, pasilla
and ancho. The recipe is well-guarded. Many of these small businesses have networked to find ways to buy the more than twenty ingredients most moles need, such as chili peppers from Zacatecas
, eliminating the need for middlemen. Each family in the town has its own recipes for the various types of moles. The family of Guadalupe Rios, for example, adds apple to her moles, presumably to avoid digestive problems.
Seventy years ago, life in San Pedro Atocpan was similar to just about any other rural community growing corn and beans. At that time only four neighborhoods prepared mole for town festivals: Panchimalco, Ocotitla, Nuztla and Tula, but those who prepared it were generally prominent women in their communities. In the 1940’s, one family had the idea of making the long trek to Mexico City proper to sell some of their mole at the La Merced market. It was successful, but they brought with them only two kilos, since it was made by hand grinding the ingredients. With the paving of the main road (now the Mexico City-Oaxtepec highway) and the introduction of electricity in 1947, it became easier to make and transport mole to the city. Since then, a sauce that was traditionally made for family use became a commodity for the town. The town now produces 60% of the mole made in Mexico and 89% of the mole consumed in Mexico City, adding up to between 28,000 and 30,000 tons of mole produced each year.
The community has two main churches: the Parish of San Pedro Apostol and the Church of Señor de la Misericordias. The Parish of San Pedro Apostol is a Franciscan
church that was dedicated on 28 August 1680 and declared a national monument in 1933. Its patron of Saint Peter
is celebrated on 29 of June of each year. The other church, Señor de las Misericordias (Lord of Mercies) is a modern building, dedicated to an image of Christ that is venerated in all of Milpa Alta. This church hosts a festival to this image each May that brings people from other parts of the delegation as well as the neighboring states of Morelos and Mexico State.
The National Festival of Mole is hosted at the location each year in October. It began in 1977 with the specific aim of promoting the town's product. The first festival was not held in the San Pedro Atocpan proper, but in the neighborhood of Yenhuitlalpan with only four restaurants participating. It was held not in October but rather in May to coincide with the festival in honor of the Señor de las Misericordias. However, this caused problems with people who did not like the idea of taking advantage of a religious festival for commercial purposes. So the mole festival was moved to October, where it has remained since. The annual festival has crafts, food, traditional Mexican music
, carnival rides and other fair attractions. Today, over 2,600 people actively participate to bring the event together and prepare about 400,000 plates of different mole dishes such as pork chops and rabbit in adobo, chicken and turkey in mole almendrado (almond mole) and mole verde (green mole) but the favorites are enchiladas made with various traditional moles.
Milpa Alta
Milpa Alta is one of the 16 delegaciones into which Mexico's Federal District is divided. It lies in the southeast corner of the Distrito Federal, bordering the States of México and Morelos. It is the second largest and most rural of all delegaciones. It is also the least populous and...
in the Federal District of Mexico, better known as Mexico City
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
. This location is known for the preparation of mole sauce
Mole (sauce)
Mole is the generic name for a number of sauces used in Mexican cuisine, as well as for dishes based on these sauces...
, which employs over 90% of the community and provides almost all of the sauce that is eaten in Mexico City. Despite being in the Federal District and the second largest district in size, Milpa Alta is distinctly rural. Only 116,000 of Mexico City’s 8 million inhabitants live in the entire borough, and as of 2005, only 8,997 lived in San Pedro Atocpan. The name “Atocpan” is from Nahuatl
Nahuatl
Nahuatl is thought to mean "a good, clear sound" This language name has several spellings, among them náhuatl , Naoatl, Nauatl, Nahuatl, Nawatl. In a back formation from the name of the language, the ethnic group of Nahuatl speakers are called Nahua...
and means “on fertile soil” The community is located in the northwest of the borough, on the highway between Mexico City and Oaxtepec
Oaxtepec
Oaxtepec is a town within the municipality of Yautepec in the northern part of the Mexican state of Morelos. Its main industry is tourism, mostly aimed at the inhabitants of nearby Mexico City, and the town possesses various aquatic resorts and hotels. The climate is tropical and the countryside...
, Morelos
Morelos
Morelos officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Morelos is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 33 municipalities and its capital city is Cuernavaca....
. It has a territory of 87.65 hectares, and is about 2,500 meters above sea level. The land here is rugged as it is wedged between the Cuauhtzin Volcano and Teutli Mountain.
This community was designated as a "Barrio Mágico"
Barrios Mágicos of Mexico City
The “Barrios Mágicos” of Mexico City is a list of twenty one areas in the Federal District, which have been named “magical neighborhoods” in order to attract tourism to them. The program is sponsored by the city government but is patterned after the “Pueblos Mágicos” program of the Mexican...
by the city in 2011.
Mole preparation
Almost 92% of the community’s population makes a living related to the preparation and sale of the sauce. The moles of San Pedro Atocpan are not made in factories but rather in small family-owned enterprises. Moles of different flavors, smells, colors and textures are made, but the specialty is “mole almendrado” (almond mole), which was invented here and made with between 26 and 28 ingredients, always with a base of three chili peppers: mulato, pasilla
Pasilla
Pasilla refers to more than one variety of chile in the species Capsicum annuum. A true pasilla is the dried form of the long and narrow chilaca pepper. However, in the United States producers and grocers often incorrectly use 'pasilla' to describe the poblano, a different, wider variety of pepper...
and ancho. The recipe is well-guarded. Many of these small businesses have networked to find ways to buy the more than twenty ingredients most moles need, such as chili peppers from Zacatecas
Zacatecas
Zacatecas officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Zacatecas is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 58 municipalities and its capital city is Zacatecas....
, eliminating the need for middlemen. Each family in the town has its own recipes for the various types of moles. The family of Guadalupe Rios, for example, adds apple to her moles, presumably to avoid digestive problems.
Seventy years ago, life in San Pedro Atocpan was similar to just about any other rural community growing corn and beans. At that time only four neighborhoods prepared mole for town festivals: Panchimalco, Ocotitla, Nuztla and Tula, but those who prepared it were generally prominent women in their communities. In the 1940’s, one family had the idea of making the long trek to Mexico City proper to sell some of their mole at the La Merced market. It was successful, but they brought with them only two kilos, since it was made by hand grinding the ingredients. With the paving of the main road (now the Mexico City-Oaxtepec highway) and the introduction of electricity in 1947, it became easier to make and transport mole to the city. Since then, a sauce that was traditionally made for family use became a commodity for the town. The town now produces 60% of the mole made in Mexico and 89% of the mole consumed in Mexico City, adding up to between 28,000 and 30,000 tons of mole produced each year.
Community attractions
Franciscan
Most Franciscans are members of Roman Catholic religious orders founded by Saint Francis of Assisi. Besides Roman Catholic communities, there are also Old Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, ecumenical and Non-denominational Franciscan communities....
church that was dedicated on 28 August 1680 and declared a national monument in 1933. Its patron of Saint Peter
Saint Peter
Saint Peter or Simon Peter was an early Christian leader, who is featured prominently in the New Testament Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles. The son of John or of Jonah and from the village of Bethsaida in the province of Galilee, his brother Andrew was also an apostle...
is celebrated on 29 of June of each year. The other church, Señor de las Misericordias (Lord of Mercies) is a modern building, dedicated to an image of Christ that is venerated in all of Milpa Alta. This church hosts a festival to this image each May that brings people from other parts of the delegation as well as the neighboring states of Morelos and Mexico State.
National Festival of Mole
Music of Mexico
The music of Mexico is very diverse and features a wide range of different musical styles. It has been influenced by a variety of cultures, most notably indigenous Mexican and European, since the Late Middle Ages...
, carnival rides and other fair attractions. Today, over 2,600 people actively participate to bring the event together and prepare about 400,000 plates of different mole dishes such as pork chops and rabbit in adobo, chicken and turkey in mole almendrado (almond mole) and mole verde (green mole) but the favorites are enchiladas made with various traditional moles.