Five ingredients that cooks in southern Mexico have treasured for generations, gathered in one box. The chilhuacle negro is one of the rarest chiles in Mexico. It is grown in only a few valleys of Oaxaca and is the dark, smoky backbone of mole negro. The costeño, from the Pacific coast, is bright red, fruity and quick to bring heat to salsas and mole amarillo. Chicatana ants are a true delicacy: they are gathered by hand for just a few days each year, when the first summer rains bring them out, and once toasted they taste nutty and earthy. Taza’s stone-ground Guajillo chocolate blends rustic Mexican chocolate with a mild, berry-toned chile. To finish, the smoked sal de gusano mixes salt, chile and toasted agave worm, the traditional partner for a glass of mezcal.
