Authentic Mexican Mole Shipped To You Straight From LA

Somewhere in between Disneyland and the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Guelaguetza should appear on any visitor's list of Los Angeles destinations.

The restaurant is responsible for introducing this Mexican-food-dense area to the wonders of Oaxaca, with mole acting as ambassador.

And now the restaurant's trademark dish is available to displaced Angelenos and mole lovers anywhere, thanks to Guelaguetza's online store, launched in the fall.

The store sells two red moles, Coloradito ($8 for 16 ounces) and rojo ($8 for 16 ounces), which vary in heat (the latter packs enough punch to please chile-heads).

But the real reason to rejoice is the mole negro ($8 for 16 ounces), made according to the family recipe of Guelaguetza's owners, Fernando and Bricia Lopez. Using 26 ingredients, the paste resembles a molasses-like tar, but don't be deterred: The smoldering depth of chiles and chocolate is going to make this sauce your new best friend in the kitchen.

Thinned with broth or water, the paste makes an unparalleled braising liquid for chicken or pork; we also pulsed it with roasted tomatoes in a food processor to make a sauce for a huevos rancheros-inspired egg dish.