Off the Cuff / My Other Journal

Cinco de Mayo

Last night I went out to eat at a seaside restaurant with hubby, son, and daughter in-law. Hubby always says I hear everything going on around me and he is right. I can’t help being interested in my surroundings, and when I overheard someone giving a salsa recipe to another person in the next table, I had to write it down.

The lady says to start with half a bottle or measure of your favorite salsa and add to it chopped onions, crushed red peppers, basil and garlic seasoning blend, minced garlic, half a carrot, half a red onion, half a bell pepper and half a white onion grated. Stir it together and you’ve got a healthy salsa for Cinco de Mayo. Then don’t forget to use corn chips for dipping.

As to Cinco de Mayo, it happened after Mexicans lost the Spanish American war, but declared independence. Since during the war Mexico had incurred war debts to a few European nations, mainly England, France and Spain and was not at the moment to able to pay them back, then Mexican president Benito Juarez declared a moratorium for two years against paying debts.

In 1862 the three European countries dispatched their fleets to Mexico to collect what was owed to them in land rights. A Mexican government official met them and explained that Mexico accepted its debts, but at the time was unable to pay them and offered payment warrants in exchange.

England and Spain accepted Mexico’s offer, but the good ole’ France, the nation that carries the flag of freedom only in jest, decided to invade Mexico and put a French monarch as the head of state abolishing the newly constituted Mexican Republic. To do that French armies had to cross the state of Puebla to get to the capital of Mexico, Mexico City.

Ignacio Zaragoza, as the general, fortified the city of Puebla to repel the well-equipped, powerful French army. Zaragoza led 5000 people with barely working arms and defeated the French on the 5th of May 1862. This victory became the holiday celebrated all over Mexico where each city has its square for the fiesta to animate the people with music, laughter, and vibrant colors. There are mariachi bands, dancing, fooling around, and shows.

At Peñón de los Baños, a small barrio in Mexico City, the people organize a representation of the Cinco de Mayo battle. During most of the celebrations “mole” is served. Mole is a popular, thick spicy sauce that comes from blending more than forty ingredients, and is spread on top of turkey or chicken and Mexican style red rice.

Going back to the French invasion: Later on, French invaded Mexico and imposed Maximilian of Hapsburg as Mexico’s emperor in 1864. As an ironic turn in the events, Maximilian loved Mexico and valued its liberal party but was executed at the end when the Mexican generals and Benito Juarez took Mexico back. The last words of Maximilian were: "I die in a just cause. I forgive all, and pray that all may forgive me. May my blood flow for the good of this land. Viva Mexico!"

Happy Cinco de Mayo to the Mexicans and their American friends!