Believe it or not, Cinco de Mayo, literally, ‘fifth of May’, barely registers in Mexico! It’s a day which commemorates a Mexican victory in a nineteenth century battle against the French, but it’s become a celebration of Mexican pride that’s embraced across North America and elsewhere, with parades, music, and of course, unforgettable food. Get ready to spice things up - this fiesta is nacho average feast!
What is Cinco de Mayo?
Let’s get the history bit out of the way so we can focus on the food! Cinco de Mayo marks Mexico’s surprising victory over French forces at the Battle of Puebla. Around 3,800 Mexican troops led by General Ignacio Zaragoza defeated more than 5,700 highly trained, well equipped French army soldiers on 5 May 1862.
It’s often mistaken for Mexico’s Independence Day, which is actually celebrated in September. In Mexico, Cinco de Mayo is a relatively small regional holiday (Puebla is in the southern part of central Mexico, around 100km from Mexico City), but in the USA, it’s become a celebration of Mexican heritage - a day filled with colour, music, and, of course, incredible food.
While it’s mainly celebrated in the US, there are other notable celebrations around the world, including a Cinco de Mayo air guitar competition in the Cayman Islands, an air sports club near Vancouver in Canada holding a skydiving event, and celebrations in Brisbane in Australia, Montego Bay in Jamaica, Cape Town in South Africa, Lagos in Nigeria, and Paris in France. There's a festival in Osaka in Japan, and in Tokyo’s Asukayama Park, Cinco de Mayo is featured in a wider event celebrating Latin American culture.
From Puebla to Party
The culinary heart of Cinco de Mayo is in Puebla, and a lot of the dishes from this region - many a source of national pride - blend Mexican and European influences in some seriously scrumptious ways.
Perhaps the most famous of all - and sometimes referred to as Mexico’s national dish - is mole poblano, a rich, velvety sauce made from chiles, chocolate, nuts, fruit, spices and plenty of other ingredients. It’s usually served with chicken, turkey or pork. But this is a seriously versatile sauce and you can explore a range of these and similar dishes here.
Another Puebla classic is chiles en nogada, a dish made from fire-roasted poblano peppers stuffed with picadillo, a mix of spiced meat and fruit, topped with creamy walnut sauce and pomegranate seeds. The colours of the dish - green peppers, white sauce and red pomegranate seeds are the colours of the Mexican flag.
Modern Fiesta Plates
Over time, Cinco de Mayo has spread far beyond Puebla’s borders and inspired a new wave of celebration food that’s all about sharing and fun. Traditional Mexican dishes are always at the heart of Cinco de Mayo celebrations, along with a range of American-Mexican - or Tex-Mex - creations.
Taco spreads turn your table into a DIY feast, with fillings such as beef, BBQ chicken, carne asada, shrimp, and even lobster. And don’t forget pots of salsa, creamy or chunky guac, and endless tortilla chips.
And taco’bout variety! There’s nachos, enchiladas, flavour-packed fajitas, tamales and tostadas, brilliant burritos, and cracking quesadillas! Not to mention the margaritas! In fact, just for you, we’re curated the best Cinco de Mayo recipes so you can celebrate in true Mexican style!
Raise a Glass: Drinks, Desserts & Good Times
No Cinco de Mayo celebration is complete without something sweet, and something to sip! From margaritas in a rainbow of flavours - cucumber, mango, cranberry, ginger, pomegranate and more - to a cool and refreshing agua fresca, or even a tequila-laced hot chocolate called a Mexicocoa, you definitely won’t go thirsty!
And when it’s time for dessert, the choices are as festive as the music. Very few things in life are better than a plate of hot, crunchy churros with a bowl of thick, melted chocolate, or tres leches cake.
Raise a Tost-ada to this Sensational Cinco de Mayo Menu
Cinco de Mayo is all about good food, good friends, and a reason to celebrate. Whether you’re keeping it Mexican with mole or going Tex-Mex with tacos and toppings, it’s a day to enjoy the dishes that make Mexican cooking so popular.
