Happy Cinco de Mayo!

Cinco de Mayo (May 5th) is touted as the quintessential celebration of freedom for Mexicans throughout the world, although it is not actually Mexico’s Independence Day.

Cinco de Mayo represents a small victory that occurred in 1862, when a small Mexican army held the French at bay in the town of Puebla, Mexico, during the French invasion. As a result, you will find festivals with piñatas dressed as French soldiers getting the dulces beat out of them in major cities all across the United States. Rumor has it that this year, there is also a piñata likenesses of Rush Limbaugh.

So what is the real authentic cuisine, you ask?

Anybody can make a taco, but the real staple food in Mexico is the mole poblano.

Legend has it that two nuns from Puebla, seeking to compete with the French Cajuns and feed unexpected guests, used a molcajete (mortar and pestle) to throw some spicy left-overs together. It must have been good, as the dish has remained a tradition in Mexico.

If you want to hold an authentic celebration, you need to have guests show up in both French and Mexican costumes, serve mole poblanos with plenty of margaritas and cerveza (beer), and let them duke it out. Pick your favorite piñata – a donkey or chili pepper would be most appropriate this year.

Disfrutar de la celebración!