One of the meals that we looked forward to the most in Oaxaca was at Chef Abigail Mendoza’s restaurant, Tlamanalli. Abigail is known for keeping Mexican Zapotec (an indigenous pre-Columbian civilization) traditions alive through the recipes that have been passed down by her ancestors. ⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ Everything she cooks is all made by hand using ancient techniques such as these metates. These stone tools are used for processing grain, seeds, corn, chilies, and more. ⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ I was most excited about Abigail’s pre-hispanic mole. We tried 3 different types including mole negro (black mole - my fav), mole rojo (red mole), and mole Zapoteco (a traditional Zapotec mole).⁣ ⁣ Unfortunately, all 3 moles were served with chicken breasts which were over cooked and dry. If we were served anything else, it would have definitely been a game changer. 😭