Welcome to the Chile Heat Scale, a helpful resource for attendees of Feria del Mole. Understanding the heat levels of various chiles can enhance your tasting experience at our festival.
The heat of chiles is measured in Scoville Heat Units (SHU), which indicates the concentration of capsaicin, the compound responsible for spiciness. Here’s a brief overview of common chiles and their heat levels:
- Bell Pepper: 0 SHU - Sweet and mild, perfect for salads.
- Poblano: 1,000 - 2,000 SHU - Mildly spicy, often used in mole sauces.
- Jalapeño: 2,500 - 8,000 SHU - A popular choice for salsas and sauces.
- Serrano: 3,500 - 5,000 SHU - Slightly hotter than jalapeños, great for fresh dishes.
- Chipotle: 5,000 - 10,000 SHU - Smoked jalapeños that add a rich flavor.
- Cayenne: 30,000 - 50,000 SHU - Adds significant heat to any dish.
- Habanero: 100,000 - 350,000 SHU - Very hot, often used in spicy sauces.
- Carolina Reaper: 1,400,000 - 2,200,000 SHU - One of the hottest chiles available.
When exploring the diverse offerings at Feria del Mole, remember to consider your own heat tolerance. Enjoy the rich flavors and unique dishes that our vendors have to offer!
The Dried Chiles Behind Mole, and How to Taste Them
Most moles are built not on fresh chiles but on dried ones, and drying changes both the name and the character of a pepper. A dried poblano becomes an ancho, a ripened and dried chilaca becomes a pasilla, and a smoked, dried jalapeño is the chipotle listed above. These dried chiles tend to sit at the gentle end of the scale, which is why a deep, dark mole can taste rich and layered rather than fiery.
Common mole chiles at a glance
- Ancho: mild, with a sweet, raisin-like fruitiness. A backbone of mole poblano.
- Mulato: a darker relative of the ancho, with notes often described as chocolate or tobacco.
- Pasilla: mild to medium, slightly bitter and herbal, prized for its dark colour.
- Guajillo: mild to medium, bright and tangy, often used in red moles and adobos.
- Chilhuacle: a regional Oaxacan chile, valued in some black and red moles for its depth and rarity.
- Chile de árbol: small and noticeably hotter, used sparingly to add a sharp lift.
Why the number isn't the whole story
Scoville figures describe capsaicin content, but how hot a mole feels depends on much more. Cooks usually remove seeds and veins, toast the chiles and grind them with nuts, seeds, bread, fruit, spices and sometimes chocolate. Fats and sugars soften the burn, so a sauce made with a hotter chile can still feel balanced. The same chile also varies from harvest to harvest, so treat any scale as a rough guide rather than a promise.
Tasting tips for festival day
- Start with milder, sweeter moles and work towards the spicier ones so your palate stays sharp.
- Ask vendors which chiles they use; many are happy to explain their blend.
- Keep tortillas, rice or a cooling drink nearby. Dairy such as crema helps more than water when the heat builds.
- Take small portions so you can sample widely without tiring your taste buds.
To plan your route between mild and bold stalls, browse the vendor listings and the festival map, or try recreating a favourite at home with our mole recipes.