An Ode to Cinco de Mayo! Ole!

In the sprit of my life motto that 'Any excuse is a great excuse for a party!' I celebrate Cinco de Mayo every year. You may already know this, as I'm probably the only red haired, green eyed, freckled girl who jumps all over the opportunity to channel my inner Senorita and drive around the city blasting Latin music from my car stereo on this very special day every year. But for those who don't, Cinco de Mayo is a holiday held on the 5th of May that commemorates the victory over French forces at the Battle of Puebla on May 5th, 1862. Similar to St Patrick's Day which celebrates Irish history and culture, Cinco de Mayo celebrates Mexican heritage.


Every year, I think to myself ‘Why have the same old taco night when you can have a fiesta?’ Planning a Cinco de Mayo inspired dinner party with friends and family can be as simple (or as complicated) as adding colourful details and lots of texture to your space. (A sombrero, in this case, would be like the cherry on top of a delicious Sundae! And puh-lease don't forget a friendly round of pin the tail on the donkey!) Of course, if time is of the essence or you’d like to be surprised with a Spectacular Spanish inspired dinner party when you get home from work and are unsure of how to do it yourself, give me a call and we’ll make it Red Hot like the sauce on your chimichangas!


Run to the basement and grab those maracas! Here are some super fun, easy AND budget friendly ideas to bring the spirit of Mexico to your home this 5th of May.

Drinks: The obvious drink of choice for Cinco de Mayo is the Margarita. Why not get a little wild this year and freeze some beer? This is a recipe even non-chefs can follow! Found at http://www.bakersroyale.com/, just open a Corona, pour into a form, freeze for 2 hours, stick a fancy stick in the middle, put it back in the freezer for another 2 hours, add a lime to garnish and Ole!

Apps: Margarita Shrimp Cocktail with Grilled Avocado Guacamole. You didn't think I forgot the margs, did you? This recipe has me drooling all over the keyboard, so follow the link, check it out and Ole! http://www.messycook.blogspot.com/

Dessert: Mojito Cupcakes! Use a boxed mix to keep your costs down, (after those Corona pops, noone will notice, I promise!) substitute the water for rum and lime juice and add lime zest to the mixture. When making your buttercream, puree fresh mint with dark rum and Ole! Find the whole recipe here: www.whiskthis.com/mojito-cupcake

Decor! My Fave! Leave it to Martha to come up with the quickest, most budget friendly ideas to make a stunning display of Mexican inspiration from colorful tissue paper. What could be easier? Fold tissue in half, snip away and Ole!


What do you have planned for your fiesta?