Mole is a staple of Mexican cuisine, but what’s special about this sauce isn’t just its flavors — which can include chilis, nuts, fruits and chocolate. Rather, it's where those tastes come from.
Last month, that regional diversity led Sauce Magazine writer Ileana Martinez on a journey to learn about how mole is being served at four local restaurants, each of which offers its own, region-specific take on the dish.
“I knew that by going out to explore mole at different restaurants, I could explore the breadth of it and the regionality of it,” Martinez said on Tuesday’s St. Louis on the Air. “The only definition that people can really agree upon is … that it's a sauce, it's a blend.”
The diversity of flavor, ingredients and texture means that one mole might be best enjoyed with chicken and rice, while a different mole is prepared as slow-cooked stew.
Angel Jimenez-Gutierrez, co-owner of the Mexican restaurant Malinche in Ellisville, said that mole never leaves his restaurant’s menu. The dish reminds him of his childhood home near Mexico City.
“It's just pretty much like the traditional way of having dinner over there," he said. "Any special event, like whether it is a quinceanera or a bodan (wedding), that would be the dish they would choose to offer to all their guests. Mole, to me, it represents that.”
Featured in this conversation:
- Malinche Mexican Culinary Experience (15939 Manchester Road, Ellisville, MO 63011)
- Mi Tierra Bonita Mexican Restaurant (3203 Collinsville Road, Fairmont City, IL 62201)
- La Oaxaqueña (2925 Lemay Ferry Road, St. Louis, MO 63125)
- El Molino del Sureste (5005-5007 S. Kingshighway, MO 63109)
To hear the full discussion with Sauce Magazine writer Ileana Martinez, and to learn more about where to try Mexican mole in St. Louis, listen to St. Louis on the Air on Apple Podcast, Spotify or Google Podcast or by clicking the play button below.
“St. Louis on the Air” brings you the stories of St. Louis and the people who live, work and create in our region. The show is produced by Miya Norfleet, Emily Woodbury, Danny Wicentowski, Elaine Cha and Alex Heuer. Roshae Hemmings is our production assistant. The audio engineer is Aaron Doerr. Send questions and comments about this story to talk@stlpr.org.
