Cinco de Mayo

“The Battle of Puebla took place on May 5, 1862 near the city of Puebla during the French intervention in Mexico. The battle ended in a victory for the Mexican Army against the occupying French forces. The victory is celebrated today during the festivities of Cinco de Mayo (5th of May).”

This holiday is celebrated by more and more Americans every year. To the first (like myself) and second generation Mexican American, the holiday means a whole lot more than just the remembrence of the Battle of Puebla. The courage and determination shown by the humble and meager Mexican Indians and farmers against the French armies and their artilleries, represent the struggle for equality in society. We teach our children that they can never be anything less than someone else simply because of their heritage and the color of their skin. Un brindis (A toast) to our forefathers for having taught us how to stand up for our rights, ourselves, and our children’s future. Feliz Cinco de Mayo everyone.

Coctel Bandera Mejicana

1 pint Tequila
½ cup lime juice
½ cup sugar
Crushed ice
1 jicama
1 cup green seedless grapes
1 cup cherries

Mix the tequila with the lime juice and sugar. Add crushed ice and mix thoroughly. Serve in tall cocktail glasses. Skewer one green grape, one cube of jicama, and one cherry. To represent the colors of the Mexican Flag, garnish each cocktail with the skewered fruits. Makes 8 servings.


Mexican Bloody Mary

1 ¼ cups tomato juice
½ cup orange juice
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 ½ tablespoons finely chopped onion
½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Salt, cayenne pepper, to taste
1 cup tequila
Ice cubes


Puree all ingredients in blender except tequila. Pour into pitcher and chill in refrigerator for at least 4 hours. Just before serving, blend in tequila. Makes 4 servings.



Dulce de Leche Cupcakes (Con Sombreros!)
(This is not an original. I saw this in a Woman’s World magazine and instantly knew that I had to make them.)

1 box yellow cake mix
1 can (12 ounces) evaporated milk
3 eggs
1/3 cup oil
1 ½ cups dulce de leche (either Hershey’s or La Lechera)

1 ½ cups (3 sticks) butter, room temperature
2 boxes powdered sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Granulated sugar
Gumdrops in assorted colors
Decorator sprinkles

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin cups with cupcake liners. Beat cake mix, milk, eggs, and oil until thickened and smooth, about 3 minutes. Bake 20-22 minutes. Cool on racks 5 minutes.Using a wooden skewer, poke about 5 holes in the top of each cupcake. Drizzle half cup (1 teaspoon at a time) dulce de leche over the tops of each cupcake. Cool completely on racks.Beat butter until fluffy. Gradually beat in powdered sugar. Beat in 1 tablespoon of water, 1 tablespoon of vanilla and 1 cup of the dulce de leche. On medium high, beat until frosting is light and fluffy.

For Sombreros, sprinkle sugar on a piece of waxed paper. Flatten the gumdrop. Place on sugar and sprinkle more on top. Cover with a second piece of waxed paper. Roll out. Use a small round cookie cutter, about 2 inches in diameter, to cut the sombrero brims. Discard scraps. Attach a whole gumdrop to the top with a little frosting. Decorate brims with zigzags and sprinkles. Place on frosted cupcakes. Makes bout 24.