Happy Cinco de Mayo, everyone! Perhaps in this pandemic we can appreciate the day for what it is meant to be, a celebration of Mexico and Mexican American culture. Originally it was to honor an 1860s Mexican Victory over the French army (Wiki entry here), it's now far more popular in America than in Mexico, in large part because it was hijacked by alcohol companies and used as a marketing gimmick.
The estimable chef and writer Shaw Lash (spent many years with Rick Bayless, then worked for Diana Kennedy in Mexico) was born in Texas, loves Mexico but hates what the celebration has become and wrote about it here for this site: "Should Cinco de Mayo Be Celebrated?"
If you know what you're celebrating, then yes! During the past couple years my wife, Ann, and I have been to Mexico on three separate occasions, Oaxaca, Mexico City, and Patzcuaro, and I've come to appreciate the country in a huge way. So when I make us all a proper margarita tonight (recipe below), and when Ann makes the fish tacos and the BEST refried beans (recipe below), we will be appreciating the richness Mexican culture gives to us, particularly the culinary and artistic riches.
Happy Cinco de Mayo!
Classic Margarita
Ingredients
- 2 ounces tequila
- ¾ ounce lime juice
- ¾ ounce Cointreau or Triple Sec
- 1 wedge or disc lime
Instructions
- Combine the liquids in a glass, add ice and the lime. Enjoy! You've made it through another week of caronavirus quarantine.
The BEST Refried Beans
Equipment
- some sort of masher, like a potato masher
Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked creamy beans, black or red or even white
- 1 small onion, small dice
- 2 teaspoons fresh oregano, Mexican if you have it! (or 1 tbls dried oregano)
- ¼ cup olive oil, or to taste
- water or bean broth (if you saved) as needed
- salt to taste
- pepper to taste
- hot sauce to taste (optional)
Instructions
- Set out your beans, the onion, and oregano while you heat a skillet over high heat. Add the olive oil and when it's hot, add the onion and cook it till tender, a minute or so, then add the oregano and stir.
- Add the bean and saute them. There should be plenty of olive oil so feel free to add more. Mash the beans with a masher or heavy spoon until half to two-thirds of the beans have been mashed. Season with salt and pepper. Add some water or bean broth so that they're nice and moist (but not soup).
- Serve with hot sauce, fish tacos and rice.
No triple-sec or cointreau in the Margarita?
Holy shit you're right! cointreau rather than ss!
Thank you for the update I was worried that I was fucking it up!
I'm so sorry. My focus in quarantine isn't what it used to be.
And when my hands get tired of squeezing limes, I opt for the paloma 🙂
I love a paloma in hot weather.
Happy Cinco De Mayo Michael, best to you & your family. Sis De Mayo now, but keep the festivities going.
I did not celebrate, but made my wife one, which she enjoyed.
I use a little agave nectar and less triple sec, quarantine improv is lime juice from concentrate, which is just fine. This whole fresh squeezed business is silly, unless you live in a warm climate that has fresh citrus readily accessible. I live in the Northwest U. S. and the concentrate is better than the so called “fresh”, usually dried up green orbs with no juice.
And if I did manage to find some descent fresh ones I’d bet you a dollar you couldn’t tell the difference in a blind test after we mask it in tequila and triple sec.
I know it’s a ridiculous to celebrate for us gringos, but any day we can honor our great neighbors to the south is a good day, and with a margarita or sip of mezcal once a year keeps the alcohol consumption down. I made a few simple Mexican dishes & had water this year.
I heard the Kentucky Derby is going to happen in the fall, when it should happen every year because that’s when my mint is growing, this time of year it’s barely peaking out of the ground.
Cheers all
I got tired of squeezing lemons and limes too! I bought an amazing tool by Zulay that squeezes lemons and limes with the same tool. I'm in love with it!!!