By Makaela Willis, Marketing & Owner Services Assistant
The History behind Cinco De Mayo:
Cinco De Mayo, or the “Fifth of May” in Spanish, is a holiday that celebrates the Mexican victory over the French at the Battle of Puebla, which took place on May 5th, 1862. The French invaded when President Benito Juarez suspended foreign debt payments. The Battle of Puebla was one of the few places where the Mexican forces were able to beat the better equipped French and the victory became a source of Mexican Army morale and national pride. In 1866, after the execution of the emperor Maximillian I, President Juarez declared May 5th, the day the Battle of Puebla was won, a national holiday. Many places in Mexico and the United States still celebrate the holiday today.
If you want to read more about it this holiday here is an article from the Smithsonian.
One of the foods Americans most commonly associate with this holiday is the avocado. Here are a few ways to use the avocado to enhance your favorite Mexican dishes and more.
Avocados are very versatile but a classic use of an avocado or several is in guacamole! Fresh, homemade guacamole is a fan favorite for any lover of Mexican cuisine. This tasty recipe ( great as an addition to many dishes or just eaten with chips) has its origins in South Central Mexico.
I was given a few recipes for guacamole by my friend, Aurora Perez, who is my go-to-gal for all things avocado. So, I knew who to call when I was asked to do this post about the uses of guacamole. She gave some of her favorite staple recipes as well as a quite a few uses for guacamole.
Some of her favorite Guacamole Recipes are:
For a single serving Aurora suggests starting with 2 avocados and at least 4 or 5 for a family of 5.
She gave me two recipes for guacamole depending on tastes, also one is Dairy Free!
Classic Guacamole:
For this recipe you will need:
- Smashed avocado, garlic salt, onion powder, diced tomatoes, onion, jalapeno, and lemon juice.
- For 2 avocados dice half each of a tomato, onion, and jalapeno
- For 4 or 5 avocados use a whole onion, tomato, and jalapeno
- Any seasonings are added ‘to taste’ but Aurora’s suggestion is to start with a teaspoon of each for a single serving and a tablespoon of each for a larger batch.
Guacamole with a Twist (Includes Dairy):
For this recipe you will need:
- Smashed avocado, sour cream, garlic powder, onion powder, season salt, salt, onion (red onion is a personal favorite), tomatoes, and lemon juice
- The avocado ratio is the same in this recipe, but add a half cup of sour cream for every 2 avocados (the rest is the same as the recipe above with or without the jalapeno)
One of her favorite things about guacamole is that is so versatile, and you can add and subtract as you go. At the end of her recipes Aurora said, “Remember you can always add more of what you like. Guacamole is not one thing; it is very versatile.” And she is very correct! Not only is the recipe easy to make, but it can also be customized to your tastes and put on so many things!
Some ways you can use Guacamole:
On toast, in sandwiches, in classic Mexican dishes like Tacos, Tostadas, and Enchiladas, dipped with chips or crackers or peppers, on your breakfast sandwiches, burgers or sliders, for guacamole stuffed chicken wrapped in bacon, and more!
These aren’t just uses for guacamole but for avocados as well, you can also add avocado to your salads, desserts, and they can be stuffed much like a pepper and baked! What a great (and delicious) way to get a healthy source of fats and carbs that are good for your body.