No, Cinco de Mayo this year is a regular work day for us.
I DID have two pupusas (food from El Salvador; think of a small, round, nearly flat "tamale": thin corn masa "pockets," filled with black beans and cheese) for my second meal, though....and I did dub them "honorary Mexican food" in honor of Cinco de Mayo.
The ones I can get (they are in the frozen section at Whole Foods) come with a choice of fillings: black beans or pinto beans with cheese, or cheese with either green chili, or spinach.
Compared to tamales, they are fairly small, so two of them make a good lunch.
There were some Mexican forces, including at least two Mexican generals, who fought for the French at the Battle of Puebla.
I know this because I was one of the generals. For my troubles I was executed. Well, the character I portrayed in a play at the Y in 1968 was shot by a firing squad. I was soooo noble as "I" faced my end! As the shots ring out, the theatre went dark and we giggled our way off the stage. Unlike the real generals...
It's not usually a big thing unless I forget about the day and try to go to a favorite taco stand as the line is usually out the door and the parking lot is full. For me, Star Wars Day is a bigger deal as the original trilogy was a big part of my childhood.
How come people complain about changing their clocks twice a years, but will change their nationality twice a year without batting an eye? ;)
We really should add Brazil to the mix, and have churrasco (BBQ), caipirinhas and feijoada on Sept 7. Their Carnaval also beats our Mardi Gras, but I'm afraid New Orleans pretty much has a lock on that celebration in the US.
It is not about changing nationality, but about acknowledging our (we who live in the generally southwestern part of the United States) historical and cultural (and, when it comes to marriage, legal!!) roots.
The celebration is because, when the French lost the battle in Puebla (Mexico), the effect was that AMERICAN lives were saved.
The American celebration of Cinco de Mayo is no more about changing nationality than is St. Patrick's Day.
And St Patrick's Day was the second nationality change I was referring to. Everyone's Irish for a day and Mexican for a day.
In North Dakota everyone is Norwegian for a day on May 17. At least in the eastern half of the state, you'd swear it was a state holiday. Norwegian flags flying, the whole nine yards.
And let's not forget July 24, which IS a state holiday commemorating the Mormon invasion of Mexico, though the various Ute tribes were the bigger losers.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/06/2019 01:21PM by Brother Of Jerry.
GregS Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > I had a little Mayo on my BLT for lunch. Does that > count?
No. Capitalizing it does not make it authentically Mexican. ;)
Next year, aim for a taco (at the very least).
If a taco is just too much to deal with, you can, alternatively, eat a corn chip instead. Corn chips are available at your local convenience store, everywhere in the USA (to my knowledge).
:)
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/06/2019 01:16PM by Tevai.
It was actually my friend's kid having the birthday. Her mother told her if she wanted a birthday dinner she should plan it. So we went out for Chinese.
One thing I love about Mexican people is their kids in the grocery stores. I never see a half-naked Mexican kid in a freezing grocery store. In the winter, little Mexican babies always have shoes and socks on. No undershirts and bare feet there. They generally have a jacket and usually a little hat on their little head that covers their little ears.