How to Remember the Battle of Puebla

The Battle of Puebla is an event in Mexican history that most people now remember and celebrate as Cinco de Mayo, or the fifth of May. Contrary to the belief of most people with a cerveza in their hands on this day, Cinco de Mayo does not celebrate Mexican independence. In fact, it's a celebration of the defeat of the mighty French forces by a smaller, poorly armed group of Mexican soldiers at Puebla in 1862.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Invitations
• Tequila
• Triple sec
• Lime juice and wedges
• Coarse salt
• Blender
• Tomatoes
• Jalapenos
• Garlic
• Cilantro
• Avocados
• Mexican beer

1. Throw your own Battle of Puebla party, otherwise known as Cinco de Mayo. Handmade invitations with the colors of the Mexican flag--red, green and white--are a nice touch.

2. Have a margarita bar at your Battle of Puebla party with all the fixings. A simple recipe is three parts tequila, one part triple sec and two parts lime juice. You'll also need lots of ice, lime wedges, salt and a blender. Your guests will appreciate flavored mixes, too.

3. Make your own salsa with tomatoes, jalapeno peppers, garlic, lime and cilantro. You can also invite your guests to bring their own and sample the wide range of differences within this staple Mexican food. If you know your way around a kitchen, try a more challenging dish at AllRecipes.com (see Resources below).

4. Whip up some fresh guacamole with avocados, lime, garlic and a touch of chile. More guacamole is consumed on the Cinco de Mayo than any day other than Superbowl Sunday, so make plenty.

5. Serve some cervezas. Go south of the border with Mexican beers like Corona, Dos XX, Negro Modelo or Tecate. Add a wedge of lime for that authentic Mexican feel.

Tips & Warnings

• If you're looking for ways to remember the Battle of Puebla, keep in mind that nearly all of them in the U.S. will be considered celebrations for Cinco de Mayo.
• Sour cream is the best way to coat a spicy food. Liquids just spread the burning.
• Don't make a special effort to get to Mexico to remember the Battle of Puebla, unless you're headed straight to the state capital city of Puebla. Cinco de Mayo goes virtually uncelebrated in Mexico. Just like St. Patrick's Day, Cinco de Mayo has turned into a largely American-based celebration of Mexican heritage.
• Some ingredients in Mexican food are very hot. Don't touch your eyes or nose after eating anything spicy or you'll regret it.

Resources

• AllRecipes.com to find Mexican recipes