Celebrate Cinco de Mayo With These Essentials

Celebrate Cinco de Mayo With These Essentials
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Photo courtesy of the Real Coconut

With Cinco de Mayo approaching, there are endless ways to celebrate this fun and festive holiday involving food. Cinco de Mayo, which takes place annually on May 5th, commemorates Mexico’s underdog victory against French forces on May 5th, 1862 and there is no better way to celebrate than with traditional Mexican cuisine. Here are the essentials that you need to celebrate Cinco de Mayo, whether you’re planning a grande fiesta or celebrating with just a few friends.

Tortilla Chips

To start, chips and guacamole are a must. Some of my favorites are Siete’s grain free tortilla chips, which come in a range of flavors including nacho, sea salt and lime. The nacho ones were my personal favorite as they encompass a complex flavor that combines smoked serrano and roasted garlic with a tangy twist. These chips have just the right amount of crunch and are jam-packed with flavor so you can enjoy them plain or pair them with dip.

Dip

As far as dip goes, you can’t go wrong with a classic chunky guacamole. All you need are a couple avocados, some onions, diced tomatoes, a hint of lime, and a pinch of salt. Or if you are feeling like mixing it up, try a mango salsa or cheese dip. When it comes to cheese dip, I am very picky, but I would highly recommend Alouette’s either cucumber ranch or onion medley. The dip is the perfect complement to tortilla chips or veggies and is also spreadable so you can pair it with just about anything. Trust me, you’ll be craving it days later!

Tacos

Photo courtesy of AceBounce

And what’s Cinco de Mayo without tacos? I am a huge taco connoisseur and have been known to eat tacos for both lunch and dinner for days on end. So naturally, Cinco de Mayo is one of my favorite holidays. I was delighted to discover Siete’s tortillas, which are light and flavorful with an underlying buttery taste. Their flavors include almond flour, cassava and coconut, and cassava and chia. If you want to make your own tortillas, check out this recipe for homemade coconut flour tortillas from The Real Coconut - a restaurant concept by Daniella Hunter. You can load them with all of your favorite taco fix-ins. My go-to are grilled chicken or steak, pico de gallo, a splash of sour cream, onions, shredded cheese and cilantro sprinkled on top. Or if you’re vegetarian, you can go with quinoa tacos like the ones Chef Rick Gresh makes at AceBounce! Spice them up with chili powder, minced garlic and a cumin for added flavor!

Margaritas

Photo courtesy of Clever Rabbit

This Friday night, it’s time to fiesta! Quench your thirst with classic margaritas, or if you’re feeling adventurous, try out a spicy margarita with jalapeño and cucumber. It’s oh so refreshing! If you want to do something a little different, check out this recipe for carrot margaritas by partner Nick Pagor of soon-to-open Clever Rabbit in Chicago – I can assure you they won’t disappoint. All you need are 1.5 oz of Pedra Azul Reposado, .5 oz of Ancho Reyes Verde, 1 oz of carrot juice, .5 oz of lime and sea salt to garnish the rim. Enjoy!

So no matter how you choose to celebrate Cinco de Mayo, whether you’re having a dinner party with friends, hosting a pool party, or celebrating solo, with these essentials, you can’t go wrong!

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