Discover how traditional Mexican ingredients create extraordinary flavours at Palmerston North's premier destination for regional Mexican dining
When exploring authentic Mexican cuisine in Palmerston North, we often celebrate the vibrant chillies, zesty citrus, and aromatic herbs that define these beloved flavours. But there's another ingredient family that deserves equal recognition—one that has been quietly shaping the character of Mexican cooking for millennia: nuts and seeds.
At Libre, Manawatū's destination restaurant for contemporary Mexican cuisine, we're passionate about showcasing how nuts transform simple ingredients into extraordinary culinary experiences that honour Mexico's rich regional gastronomic heritage.
Please note: We understand dietary restrictions are important. With advance notice when booking your reservation, our kitchen team can accommodate nut allergies and other dietary requirements while maintaining the authentic Mexican flavours that make Libre special.
Ancient Wisdom, Modern Application in Palmerston North
The story of nuts in Mexican cuisine stretches back thousands of years, long before European contact transformed the culinary landscape. Indigenous communities understood what modern nutritionists now confirm: nuts provide essential proteins, healthy fats, and complex flavours that elevate both humble and elaborate dishes.
Today at our George Street restaurant, these time-tested ingredients continue to play starring roles in regional Mexican cooking, providing the depth, richness, and authenticity that simply cannot be replicated with substitutes.
The Nut Powerhouses of Mexican Cuisine
Peanuts (Cacahuetes): Mexico's Agricultural Heritage
Perhaps no ingredient better represents Mexico's agricultural heritage than the humble peanut. Native to South America but cultivated in Mexico for over 3,000 years, peanuts (technically legumes that grow underground) have become so integral to Mexican cuisine that many consider them a cornerstone of authentic flavour.
Found throughout Mexico but particularly prominent in central and southern regions like Puebla (famous for mole poblano), Oaxaca, and Veracruz, cacahuetes are fundamental to Mexican cooking. When properly toasted and prepared, peanuts develop an almost buttery depth that adds both substance and character to dishes. Their natural oils and robust flavour create the foundation for complex salsas and rich, satisfying dishes.
This deep cultural connection explains why we feature peanuts so prominently at Libre—they deliver the creamy richness and satisfying texture that has been perfected through thousands of years of culinary tradition.
Cashews (Anacardos): The Luxurious Touch
Particularly beloved in the central highlands of Mexico including Puebla and the states surrounding Mexico City, these creamy, mild nuts bring a luxurious texture to moles and complex sauces. Their natural sweetness balances the heat of chillies whilst their oils help bind other flavours together, creating the silky consistency that makes traditional moles so distinctive.
Originally from Brazil but embraced throughout Mexico, anacardos have become essential to many regional preparations, especially in the sophisticated cuisine of central Mexico that we celebrate at our Manawatū restaurant.
Almonds (Almendras): Versatile Elegance
Whether used whole, sliced, or ground into paste, almendras are valued across Mexico but particularly in northern states like Sonora, Chihuahua, and Nuevo León, where their subtle flavour complements both meat and vegetable preparations. In central regions, they appear in holiday specialties, traditional Christmas beverages like almond rompope, and sophisticated dishes that reflect Spanish colonial influence.
Pine Nuts (Piñones): Regional Treasures
Though less common in everyday cooking, piñones are particularly treasured in New Mexico and what is today the southwestern United States, where they've been harvested by Native American and Hispanic communities for thousands of years. In the southern state of Chiapas, they appear in traditional beverages like taxcalate, made with toasted corn, chocolate, pine nuts, achiote, vanilla, and sugar.
Nuts Take Centre Stage at Libre Palmerston North
Our menu celebrates these traditional ingredients with the respect and technique they deserve, showcasing how proper preparation transforms nuts from simple ingredients into flavour foundations. Chef Josh Dodd and our kitchen team understand what Mexican cooks have known for millennia—properly prepared nuts aren't just ingredients, they're the foundation of exceptional Mexican cuisine.
Award-Winning Barbacoa Cauliflower
Our Barbacoa Cauliflower—the 2025 Manawatū Plate of Origin Bar Category Winner—demonstrates peanuts at their finest. This vegetarian Mexican dish, available at Libre on George Street, features house-made peanut salsa macha that doesn't simply add heat; it provides that essential nuttiness that makes this dish authentically Mexican. The peanuts create layers of flavour, transforming humble cauliflower and cabbage into something truly extraordinary.
In our celebrated Salsa Macha, we honour the traditional Mexican approach to peanuts, combining them with ancho and guajillo chillies in a chilli oil base. Here, peanuts aren't merely an addition—they're integral to the salsa's character, providing both texture and the nutty depth that makes this condiment so beloved throughout Mexico.
Pork Belly Carnitas Pozole
Our Pork Belly Carnitas Pozole features house-made Salsa Cacahuetes (Peanut Salsa), adding texture, richness, and authentic Mexican spice. This traditional Mexican soup showcases how peanuts elevate classic dishes.
Our Curtido (house-made slaw) features roasted peanuts, adding a creamy, nutty layer that complements our tacos and other Mexican specialties.
Chicken Mole: A Puebla Tradition
The Chicken Mole on our menu showcases the symphony that cashews create in traditional Puebla-style mole poblano. This isn't just a sauce—it's a rich, complex dish where cashews work alongside seeds, several chillies, warming spices, fruit, and bitter chocolate to build layers of flavour that define one of Mexico's most celebrated dishes. Experience this authentic Mexican mole at Manawatū's finest Mexican restaurant.
Drunken Jimador's Taquitos
Even our Drunken Jimador's Taquitos celebrate the almond tradition, incorporating these nuts with chilli, fruits, seeds, and spiced slow-cooked brisket to add both texture and authentic regional character that elevates the entire dish.
The Art of Nut Preparation at Libre
What separates authentic Mexican cuisine from mere interpretation isn't just the inclusion of nuts—it's understanding how to prepare them. Proper toasting is essential, developing the natural oils and deepening flavours. Many nuts are ground into pastes or powders, creating the foundations for complex salsas and moles that define regional Mexican cooking.
At Libre, we dedicate time to properly toast and prepare our nuts, understanding that these seemingly simple steps are what distinguish genuine regional Mexican cuisine from surface-level interpretations.
Beyond Ingredients: A Cultural Connection in the Manawatū
When you dine with us at our Palmerston North restaurant, every cashew in our mole and every peanut in our salsa connects you to a culinary tradition that spans centuries. These ingredients remind us why we're committed to serving contemporary interpretations of regional Mexican cuisine in the Manawatū—they prove that the most profound flavours often come from ingredients that have sustained communities for generations.
Accommodating Dietary Requirements
Important information for diners with allergies:Â While nuts feature prominently across our menu as essential ingredients in authentic Mexican cuisine, we take dietary restrictions seriously. With advance notice when you book your reservation, our experienced kitchen team can prepare suitable alternatives that accommodate nut allergies, gluten sensitivities, and other dietary requirements.
Please inform us of any allergies or dietary restrictions when making your reservation so Chef Josh and our team can ensure you enjoy an exceptional dining experience with the authentic Mexican flavours that make Libre Palmerston North's destination for contemporary Mexican cuisine.
Visit Libre: Palmerston North's Award-Winning Mexican Restaurant
Come and discover how nuts create incredible flavours in authentic Mexican cuisine. Book your table today at Libre on George Street and taste why our traditional preparation methods and commitment to regional Mexican cooking have made us Manawatū's premier destination for contemporary Mexican dining. Check out our menu, or
book your reservation:Â Experience award-winning Mexican cuisine in Palmerston North where ancient traditions meet modern technique.
