Well, actually I do not have a sombrero but if I did I would wear it today to celebrate Cinco de Mayo!!! Woo hoo!!! I have been to Mexico only once so far–with my family and my brother Mark. We went just across the border to “experience” it and probably the two most memorable events that happened that day included a woman asking for “money for her bambinos” and me falling off of a curb when we were going through the border crossing. Yes, It is true. I misjudged the brightly yellow painted curb and misstepped and to this day my darling sons warn me about the Mexican curbs when we walk somewhere with curbs. Ah…memories. And then there was the time that I was eating in a Mexican restaurant with a friend in Huntersville, NC, my phone rang with the Mexican hat dance song which Aaron had put on my phone without me knowing it and it was Chris calling from Mexico!!!! Now that was something to remember!!!
So today we help Mexico celebrate which according to Wikipedia they really do NOT celebrate:
The date is observed in the United States as a celebration of Mexican heritage and pride,[6] and to commemorate the cause of freedom and democracy during the first years of the American Civil War.[7] In the state of Puebla, the date is observed to commemorate the Mexican army‘s unlikely victory over French forces at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862, under the leadership of General Ignacio Zaragoza Seguín.[8][9] Cinco de Mayo is NOTMexico’s Independence Day,[10] the most important national patriotic holiday in Mexico, which occurs on September 16th. Cinco de Mayo is a holiday that is virtually ignored in Mexico.
So there you have it!!! Is it really just a day for the US to drink margaritas?? Maybe so! But tonight I will serve a mexican themed dinner complete with these tasty Mexican Shrimp Cocktails which I first sampled at South Padre Island this year. Yum!!! Recipe posted below and another example of how to make them from SoldierChef in the attached video!!! Enjoy your day and celebrate with me!!!
Mexican Shrimp Cocktail
Ingredients
- 2 pounds cooked shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1 tablespoon crushed garlic
- 1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1 1/2 cups tomato and clam juice cocktail
- 1/4 cup ketchup
- 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
- 1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce, or to taste
- 1/4 cup prepared horseradish
- salt to taste
- 1 ripe avocado – peeled, pitted and chopped
Directions
- Place the shrimp in a large bowl. Stir garlic, red onion, and cilantro. Mix in tomato and clam juice cocktail, ketchup, lime juice, hot pepper sauce, and horseradish. Season with salt. Gently stir in avocado. Cover, and refrigerate 2 to 3 hours. Serve in one large bowl or ladle into individual bowls. Serve with saltines to scoop up the goodness!
