Cinco De Mayo
Happy Cinco De Mayo! Apparently we north Americans are the only ones who celebrate this! I have always thought this was a big deal, a day of independence of some sort, but it's not! That happened over fifty years before the Cinco de Mayo battle of Puebla.
Cinco de Mayo is an anniversary of the Battle of Puebla. It's a small town in east-central Mexico. You see in 1862, Benito Juarrez was the new president of Mexico. He inherited a lot of bad debt owed to some of the European countries. He made deals with Spain and England to pay off the debts but France decided they'd invade Mexico to recoup their costs. Benito gathered 2,000 men, a ragtag team of loyal men, a mix of indigenous or mixed ancestry men and sent them to Puebla. They were markedly outnumbered, and poorly armed. The battle lasted from daybreak to sunset,and the french retreated after losing 500 men, the Mexicans having lost 100 brave men. It wasn't the biggest battle Mexico was to win but a win indeed. Today to mark the anniversary they normally would have a military parade with the whole pomp and pageantry but with this COVID situation, even Mexico is on lock-down. It's not a big deal to them like St.Patrick's Day to the Irish, it's here in North America where we tend to turn every little holiday into a retail event! I totally play into it. I think it's no secret that I love all things Mexico. We head there every year for a month of reprieve from the Canadian winter, we love their people, their food, their climate and the beaches, oh how I could use a beach today! Here in London, On it is 10C, it was 2 when I woke up, I turned right back around and went back to bed. I said to my sweetie, wake me up when it's June! UGh really 10? I want 20 and sunny, I'll take 15 or 25 but please Mother Nature cut us some slack and send warmth...PLEASE! So, to pretend it's warm, and to remind us of Mexico, we have the fireplace humming, margaritas will start up soon and we'll eat some Mexican yummies. I think we'll do fajitas, tacos, coleslaw, refried beans or beans and rice...I haven't nailed down the dinner menu yet. What will you be serving? Whatever it is, I hope that it fills your tummy with goodness, and that you have a toast to better times, and know that soon we will travel, visit with family and hit the beaches...soon. Happy Cinco de Mayo! And to my Mexican friends, happy Tuesday!