Make Mine Tex-Mex!

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Pico de GalloChef Victor Murguia, Ay! Jalisco

Ole! It’s time for Cinco de Mayo, the Mexican holiday celebrated on May 5 that commemorates the Mexican army’s victory over French forces in 1862. It is often confused with the country’s more important holiday that honors Mexico’s Independence from Spanish rule and is celebrated on September 16. Today Cinco de Mayo is widely observed in the United States and is primarily a recognition of Mexican pride and the country’s rich and diverse heritage.

What better way to celebrate the day than to enjoy the cuisine of Mexico?

“Old World” Mexican food is a combination of Aztec and Spanish influences. It made use of many native crops, such as beans, corn, tomatoes, avocados, pumpkins and other squashes, chilies, and chocolate. It incorporated imports from Spain, such as rice, wheat, olives, almonds, citrus fruit, and spices from the Far East. With more than 15,000 miles of coastline, seafood also sustained those who lived by the water’s edge.

Read the entire article in the May 2011 issue

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