This story was featured in our SacramenKnow newsletter. Sign up to get updates about what’s happening in the region in your inbox every Tuesday and Thursday.
The R Street Corridor in Midtown felt more like a Mexican neighborhood this past Saturday. The sounds of son jarocho music and dancing reverberated down the street, and the aromas of an abuelita’s kitchen filled the air around Casa de Español for the third annual Festival Del Mole.
The celebration of culture honoring one of Mexico’s most beloved dishes, mole, turned passersby's heads as they looked towards Casa de Español, the source of the smoky smell.
Chef Ramiro Alarcon, owner of Cielito Lindo Catering and Kitchen, made the mole for the festival. He noted that mole — a traditional sauce and marinade that is the national dish of Mexico — is the oldest dish in Mexican cuisine and said the sauce “identifies us and makes us feel like we’re home.”
“It’s history,” he added in Spanish. “A delight that transcends generations and the dish that most represents Mexico.”
Cielito Lindo staff prepare a platter with four of the eight moles Saturday, Aug. 24, 2024, in Sacramento. Guests experienced the moles in two tastings.Gerardo Zavala/CapRadio
Eight baroque moles from different regions of the country were featured during two tastings, giving those who grew up eating the iconic dish a fresh perspective on its significance and others an opportunity to experience Mexico’s diverse cuisine.
Alarcon hopes this festival encourages the Latino community and those interested in its culture to challenge themselves to explore Mexican cuisine more deeply.
“Let’s not stick with three or four plates that represent us, but let’s challenge ourselves to find more from Mexican gastronomy,” he remarked.
Alarcon created the festival in partnership with Casa de Español in 2022. He said he approached its director, Maria Harrington, with the idea because of her organization’s ability to link communities.
This platter included an almond, mezcal, nogada and potato mole paired with rice and an authentic tamale.Gerardo Zavala/CapRadio
Harrington agreed but suggested that half the proceeds should go toward Help Chiapas, a nonprofit she created dedicated to the health and happiness of indigenous people in Chiapas, Mexico.
“When Maria told me that half would have to go to that, I was completely on board,” Alarcon said. “We have the ability and disposable income to generate resources, and what better than those resources to be able to go to places where there is none?”
Harrington said her organization mobilized its vision project last year providing 142 free eye exams and giving away 129 prescription glasses to an indigenous community in Chiapas. In previous years, Casa funded a program for dentists, doctors and educators to teach children English.
The mole festival was critical to raising funds for the project, Harrington added.
“We have a strong community belief of helping each other survive as well as succeed,” she said. “We’ve been very fortunate to have so much help from the business community as well as the nonprofit community to be able to bring and celebrate culture in Sacramento.”
Guests for the third annual Festival Del Mole dance to live son jarocho music performed by San Jose-based band Los Panaderos Saturday, Aug. 24, 2024, at Casa de Español in Sacramento.Gerardo Zavala/CapRadio
Teresa Gutierrez, co-founder of ARTners, ran a booth during the event selling art created by Sacramentans. She said her nonprofit offers art classes and often creates commissions and community murals in the Sacramento and Elk Grove areas.
Gutierrez said her nonprofit has worked with Casa for the last 10 years.
“Part of ARTners is that we support our community,” she said. “They have come to our events and had a booth, so we always reach out and try to support as many of the small businesses and nonprofits that we can.”
Gutierrez added that events like this festival give local artists the exposure they need to thrive.
ARTners is working on a WX Mural Museum on the structural pillars under Interstate 80 between W and X streets.
Sacramento resident Christie London said she came to the festival for her love of mole but didn’t know much about its history. She took an informational workshop that discussed the history and diversity of the dish.
“I was super excited to learn and the workshop was really great for that,” London said. “It’s all about unity and people. It’s all a melting pot, which we need these days.”
The third annual Festival Del Mole is one of many events hosted by Casa de Español. The organization's next event will be a free Central American Independence Celebration Friday, Sept. 6.Gerardo Zavala/CapRadio
Casa de Español is hosting a few more events this fall, including its third annual Central American Independence Celebration on Friday, Sept. 6.
Harrington explained that the free event will focus on five Central American countries — Costa Rica, El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua — that celebrate their independence in September.
A full list of the organization's upcoming events is available on its website.
Follow us for more stories like this
CapRadio provides a trusted source of news because of you. As a nonprofit organization, donations from people like you sustain the journalism that allows us to discover stories that are important to our audience. If you believe in what we do and support our mission, please donate today.
Donate Today
