For this holiday, I bring out the tequila glasses, cocktail napkins we have collected in Mexico, denim plates and other linens with plenty of happy hues.
The menu, this year didn’t disappoint with the help of our local friends at Centro Cocina Mexicana in Midtown Sacramento. Our line-up included the following, complete with Margarita a la Centro in a can.
The Plato Surtido included crispy rolled chicken tacos with tomatillo-avocado salsa, and cabbage; crispy corn masa quesadillas with Sierra Nevada Jack cheese, guacamole and morita salsa; and sopecitos with black bean puree, chicharrones, salsa de arbol, crema and cabbage. The Plato Combinado featured a squash blossom quesadilla with Oaxaca pasilla salsa and guacamole; flautas de papa with smashed Yukon potato, jack cheese, poblano chile, salsa de arbol and cabbage; and tostadas de pollo with black bean puree, pulled chicken, pasilla sauce, cabbage slaw and avocado.
The Trio de Ceviches served up ahi tuna, mango, avocado, onion, pumpkin seeds and chipotle-agave salsa; fresh-caught Gulf shrimp marinated with lime, cucumber, serrano chile, red onion, carrot and cilantro; and market fish marinated in lime juice with cilantro, tomatillo, serrano chile with avocado.
However you choose to celebrate, know why you are doing so. Cinco de Mayo is not Mexican Independence Day, a popular misconception. Cinco de Mayo is a holiday that celebrates the date of the Mexican army’s May 5, 1862 victory over France at the Battle of Puebla during the Franco-Mexican War. The day, which falls on Wednesday, May 5 in 2021, is also known as Battle of Puebla Day. While it is a relatively minor holiday in Mexico, in the United States, Cinco de Mayo has evolved into a commemoration of Mexican culture and heritage, particularly in areas with large Mexican-American populations. ¡Salud!
