It was about 25 years ago. I had bought Rick Bayless’ bible, Authentic Mexican, and it inspired me to start a mission. I wanted to experience every single mole he mentioned in the book.

I found a rainbow of color-inspired choices: negro, colorado, amarillo, verde, chichilo, naranja, coloradito, There were moles from Puebla, Oaxaca, San Pedro Otacpan, even San Miguel’s neighboring towns of Queretaro and Guanajuato. There was Mexico’s national dish, Mole Poblano, that you could find in any of ten different San Miguel restaurants. But there was one mole that was a real needle in the haystack.

I loved the name of it: Manchamanteles. In English, tablecloth stainer. But I struggled to find it. And the mystique multiplied when it became the subject of Susan Trilling’s book, My Search For The Seventh Mole.

Last Thursday night, we were at a new San Miguel de Allende restaurant. I opened the menu and there it was. Manchamanteles.

But let me back up a bit. Let me tell you a bit about the new restaurant. Tell you a bit about their chef/owner and his aspirations.

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