Cinco de Mayo

Posted: 6 April 2010

The holiday of Cinco de Mayo commemorates the victory of the Mexican militia over the French army at the Battle of Puebla in 1862. Nowadays, this provides the perfect excuse for a celebration and to enjoy some of Mexico's best food, drink and music.

It's never too early to start planning your Cinco de Mayo celebrations, so we thought you might like a few suggestions for how to mark 5 May in style at home.

Decorate with style

Get everyone in the mood with some decorations in the Mexican colours: green, white and red. A vase filled with red chilli peppers creates a striking centrepiece and a spot of mariachi music sets the scene perfectly for a fiesta.

Tasty refreshments

Food and drink are central to all Mexican celebrations, so stock up on Tequila or Mexican beer. As 5 May falls midweek this year, it's a good idea to offer some non-alcoholic drinks too and Aqua Fresca is a classic fruit drink that can be whizzed up in no time:

4 cups water
2 cups fresh fruit of your choice
¼ cup sugar
2 tsp lemon or lime juice
Lemon or lime wedges to garnish

In a blender combine the water and fruit. Puree until smooth. Pour the mixture through a sieve into a pitcher, then stir in the lemon or lime juice and sugar. Add additional sugar to taste. Garnish with a lemon or lime wedge.

Delicious food

Quesadillas make a great Cinco de Mayo supper, either with chorizo and mozzarella cheese, salsa and spring onions, or cheddar, salsa and guacamole.