It's not my favorite food, but I could see myself eating it once a year when it comes into season. I am definitely glad I tried it because it is such an important part of the culture in this particular area.
Chile en nogada starts with the base of a poblano pepper, which is cooked with a mixture of meat, pears and peaches inside. Sounds kind of strange already, right? Then, once the pepper is cooked, it is bathed in a cold cream sauce made of walnuts. Finally, the dish is garnished with pomegranate seeds and parsley to represent the colors of the Mexican flag. It is an interesting mix of hot and cold, sweet and savory and spicy and creamy.
Legend says that this dish was created in 1821 in honor of the soldiers who fought in the war for Mexico's independence from Spain. They passed through Puebla on their way from the battlefield to sign the Acts of Independence, and the locals wanted to give them something representative of the area. They decided to add parsley and pomegranate to make the dish more patriotic for the heroes. No one seems to know if this legend is true or not, but chile en nogada has still become a staple of poblana (Pueblan) culture.
This dish is connected to the local environment because, in Puebla, all the ingredients are only fresh at this specific time of year. You should only eat chile en nogada during the late summer and early fall because counterfeit versions, which are available at other times of the year, are not traditionally prepared and are not nearly as delicious.
