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Posted May 1, 2012
CINCO DE MAYO
photo courtesy of Wikipedia
Ever thought about weaving in a Cinco de Mayo celebration into a novel? I don't recall ever hearing of Cinco de Mayo when growing up, but these days, Zaragoza's triumph against France in the Battle of Puebla in 1862 is primarily observed in the state of Puebla, Mexico, where the battle was fought and widely celebrated as a celebration of Mexican culture and heritage in the United States-particularly in areas with substantial Mexican-American populations. If you're going to weave the celebration into a scene, here's the skinny: Cinco de Mayo is not to be confused with Mexico's independence from Spanish colonial government in 1810 which occurred on September 16.
And in Mexico, sometimes these celebrations include military parades, recreations of the Battle of Puebla, along with other festivities. However, for many Mexicans, May 5th isn't a scheduled federal holiday. But in the United States, partiers participate with mariachi music, parades, Mexican folk dancing and traditional Mexican foods. Of course, I can't think of Mexican food without thinking of guacamole-so here's my recipe. If you want to include it in your novel, feel free and don't forget to mention me on your acknowledgments page!
Guacamole: Vicki Moss Style
Ingredients:
3 firm-ripe avocados, diced
1/3 cup chopped red onion
1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves, coarsely chopped
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced (No fresh tomatoes, try substituting chopped sun-dried tomatoes)
1 clove minced garlic
½ teaspoon cayenne
dash of cumin if so desired
Directions:
In a medium bowl, combine all the ingredients and toss gently to combine. Refrigerate. One hour before serving, let sit at room temperature.
Comments anyone?
If you would like to comment or have questions about this article, email me vmoss@livingwaterfiction.com
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