Fiesta
It’s Cinco De Mayo, amigos y amigas!!!! Time to put on your sombrero and celebrate with a lot of food, a margarita (or two), maybe some dancing and some skydive boogie! Read on to see what the heck I’m talking about. :)))))))) (You know…a holiday featuring tacos has got to be a great holiday.) Have a great Cinco de Mayo, everyone!!!!!! :))))))))
Like many ethnic holidays and celebrations, I like to jump right in, get caught up in the energy and culture, and of course, try all the food. One of my favorites is being celebrated today – Cinco De Mayo, when I’m best known here as “El Steveo Diego Juan Manuel Garcia Kowalski”. It’s a day I get to sneak out a little early, hit the streets and enjoy the music, great food – which should not surprise anyone and celebrations. I put together some history to share for today and suggest you get out and enjoy as well. Thanks to hy-vee.com, YouTube, and simplyrecipes.com for the info and links.
- Cinco de Mayo, which translates to “Fifth of May” in English, is a Mexican holiday that commemorates the victory of the Mexican army over the French army in the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862. The battle was a significant moment in Mexican history, as it demonstrated the strength and determination of the Mexican people to defend their sovereignty against foreign invaders.
- Interestingly, Cinco de Mayo is not a major holiday in Mexico itself, where Independence Day (September 16 El Grito de la Independencia) is the most important national holiday. However, the holiday has become increasingly popular in Mexico in recent years, particularly in the state of Puebla where the battle took place.
- We can thank FDR for enacting something called the “Good Neighbor Policy,” which was meant to improve relations with Latin American countries and communities. It was under this policy that Cinco de Mayo began to pick up steam in the 1950s and 60s, eventually becoming a national holiday.
- Because of its commercial success, other countries like Malta, Australia, the Cayman Islands, and Canada celebrate Cinco de Mayo as well. In Vancouver, the holiday is celebrated in an extra bizarre way. The tradition is called a “skydiving boogie” (you know it’s going to be amazing based on that name alone) and involves aerial acrobatics and an annual air show. Check it out!
- LA’s celebration is even bigger than the festival in the Mexican city of Puebla (that’s saying something). The party is called Fiesta Broadway and has been a huge celebration since the 1990s. Most major streets in L.A. are blocked off to host hundreds of thousands of people celebrating Mexican heritage with food, music, dancing, and crafts.
- Not surprisingly, 47% of all drinks ordered on Cinco de Mayo are margaritas. Tequila sales easily double within the week leading up to this infamous holiday. Centuries ago, Aztec priests used to make a milky beer-like drink from the agave plant called pulque. Only the priests could consume this “nectar of the God’s” precursor of tequila.
- There are five different types of tequila (mezcal) – learn more
- The town of Chandler, Arizona has your typical Cinco de Mayo celebration. Food, music, parades, dancing – and Chihuahua races. Townspeople enter their Chihuahuas into this race (think horse racing on a much smaller scale) and receive a large cash prize if their Chihuahua is the fastest. (Video – the tension is stiffing…and looks like they have Queen of the race!)
- Even though Mexican troops won the initial Battle of Puebla, French troops came back strong and eventually took over Mexico for a short amount of time. They instituted Emperor Maximilian of Austria, who was essentially a puppet through which European nations could control Mexico. The story of Maximilian is one shrouded in legend; eventually, those loyal to the General Ignacio Seguin Zaragoza rose up against Maximilian, capturing and executing him and his generals.
- Although guacamole (and avocados in general) is extremely popular nowadays, May 5th is still the biggest day for guacamole sales. The California Avocado Commission reports that 87 million pounds of avocados are purchased just for Cinco de Mayo celebrations. (don’t forget the limes!) How is guac made? Click Here
- Cinco de Mayo is often associated with the consumption of a favorite south of the border drink, margaritas, a popular Mexican cocktail made with tequila, lime juice, and triple sec. The origin of this tradition is unclear, but it is thought to have started in the US in the 1940s or 1950s. Recipe
- Molé Poblano is the official dish of Cinco de Mayo because the day commemorates Mexico’s victory over the French at the Battle of Puebla. Here are links to the recipe, along with other favorites for today: Click Here
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DO YOU LIKE CONTESTS?
Me, too.
As you may know the Kowalski Heat Treating logo finds its way
into the visuals of my Friday posts.
I. Love. My. Logo.
One week there could be three logos.
The next week there could be 15 logos.
And sometimes the logo is very small or just a partial logo showing.
But there are always logos in some of the pictures.
So, I challenge you, my beloved readers, to count them and send me a
quick email with the total number of logos in the Friday post.
On the following Tuesday I’ll pick a winner from the correct answers
and send that lucky person some great KHT swag.
So, start counting and good luck!
Oh, and the logos at the very top header don’t count.
Got it? Good. :-))))
Have fun!!
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