I have been celebrating Cinco de Mayo since I moved to Denver 18 years ago. Not until I was preparing to write this article did I do any research to find out what I was celebrating. Per Wikipedia, Cinco de Mayo celebrates “the Mexican army's unlikely victory over French forces at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862, under the leadership of Mexican General Ignacio Zaragoza Seguín”. Huh? Did you know that? I can guarantee you, that I am not alone in my ignorance of the significance of this Mexican holiday. Question any of the revelers in the streets or the happy shiny faces imbibing pints of coin margaritas in their favorite Mexican Restaurant and I am sure they will scrunch up their faces in deep thought and make a vague reference to something that sounds a lot like the Alamo.
Well thank goodness, Cinco de Mayo, like most other holidays, has eschewed its historical and academic context and provided folks, like me, with another excuse to schedule time with friends to indulge in good Mexican food and endless margaritas. Not that this is the only time of year I consume Mexican food. Here in Denver it seems that every 3rd restaurant is Mexican or has its roots in Mexican Cuisine. If you are familiar with the area, everyone has their favorite Mexican restaurant and most friends can be divided into two camps: Camp Benny’s (on 7th Avenue) or Camp Blue Bonnet (on Broadway). Since I have moved a little out of the city, I have created a third camp: Camp Pioneer (the University of Denver’s best kept secret).
What keeps people coming to these restaurants isn’t anything that is uniquely different. They all have tacos, enchiladas and margaritas, although to be honest some taste better than others. What I think drives people to these familiar haunts on Cinco de Mayo (and everyday in between) is the feeling that you have taken a mini trip away from your everyday worries. Your first sip of that ice cold margarita instantly transports you to that warm sandy beach you haven’t seen in a while. I have witnessed, in person, the miraculous effects of a margarita unhooking my friend’s shoulders from the vicinity of her ears to their natural relaxed state. Have you ever met friends at a Mexican restaurant that were in a hurry to rush off to their next appointment, only to have them realize that one more margarita and another round of chips and ‘guac’ couldn’t hurt? The feeling we get around Mexican food is that time seems to standstill, or at least slow down. That may be why, sidestepping immigration, Mexican food has become so popular and is ranked in the top 20 of Google’s most searched recipes.
So for this Cinco de Mayo, we have selected 5 essential Mexican-inspired recipes to store in your recipe box: A
Cara Cara Margarita, a tasty margarita that is infused with the sweet juice of Cara Cara oranges as well as limes; a simple and easy
Guacamole with a touch of sour cream for added zest; a
Carne Asada marinade that is excellent on steaks; a quick and easy
Spanish Rice; and finally, for those wanting a twist on Mexican, a Southwestern style
Chipotle Chicken Pasta.
Each of these recipes was easy to make and required similar ingredients: Limes, onions, garlic, tomatoes and cumin. If you stock your pantry with these few ingredients, you have the ability to have a Mexican-style dinner in a flash, not to mention more time to sit chatting with your family or friends over a cold margarita as you feel your shoulders unglue from your ears.
Felicidades. Happy Cinco de Mayo.
dGizmo