Pollos En Aceitunas Y Almendras

This recipe dates to 1902, from the 'Cuaderno de Recetas de Cocina' penned by Hortensia Volante, an early 20th-century Mexican manuscript. The cookbook reflects the eclectic gastronomic influences of turn-of-the-century urban Mexico, blending European (especially Spanish) and local flavors. At this time, printed cookbooks were rarities for many middle-class households, and handwritten recipe notebooks were treasured, evolving with each cook's hand. Dishes like this show a rich interaction between Spanish colonial heritage (olives, almonds, jamón, chorizo) and Mexican staples (jalapeño chiles), capturing a vibrant culinary crossroad.

In 1902, home cooks would have used a coal or wood-fired stove for simmering and frying. Chickens were boiled in large enamel or clay pots, and frying was often done in heavy cast iron or copper pans. Almonds and olives would have been pounded using a mortar and pestle, and all ingredients prepared by hand, from butchering poultry to chopping nuts. Knives were carbon steel, and measuring was by eye or with simple earthenware cups, rather than precise scales or measuring spoons. Pickled chiles, likely prepared at home or purchased from markets, would have finished the dish.