Matteo Cooks - Salsas of Mexico

Where the Chile speaks.

They say the sun is hot in Mexico but they have not met the chile.

It burns in the mouth. It stings the eyes. It makes the nose run and the forehead sweat. And still they eat it. They love it. They chase it like a man chases a woman who won’t look his way. It is the pain that makes life sharp. The fire that wakes you up.

There are many salsas in this country. No two houses make them the same. In the north they roast the chile until it turns black and smoky. In the center they grind it raw with tomatillo and garlic and salt. In Oaxaca they toast the seeds. In Veracruz they sweeten it with fruit. In the streets of the capital the salsa is made in molcajetes heavy as stone hearts. It is red. It is green. It is orange like the fire in the sky before a hurricane.

But in the Yucatán it is different. The chile here is the habanero. Small. Wrinkled. Bright like a gem and mean like a drunk man. It grows in the heat and the sun and the old Maya soil. They use it with respect. They use it often.

There is salsa de habanero. Simple. Crushed chile with sour orange and a pinch of salt. Good with grilled meats. Pork especially. And whole fish that still smells like the ocean. There is xnipec. It means dog’s nose because it makes yours run. Made with habanero, tomato, onion, lime. Sometimes vinegar. Always heat. It cuts through fatty cochinita and balances the sweetness of slow-cooked chicken.

There is sikil pak. Made from ground pumpkin seeds. Thick like wet earth. Nutty. Green. Smooth. They serve it with tostadas and shy smiles. But it belongs next to grilled vegetables, soft corn tamales, or even shrimp pulled from the bay. There is chiltomate. Tomato and chile charred on the comal. Smashed together with garlic. It tastes of fire and stone. Eat it with eggs in the morning. With beans. With tortillas fresh from the press.

These salsas are not just food. They are history. They are war and rain and joy. They come from the ground. From the hands. From the heart.

That is the chile. That is the salsa. That is Mexico.