As promised earlier this year, I was going to try to be better at putting up my recipes BEFORE holiday celebrations are over.  So when I looked at my calendar and saw that May was around the corner, I knew I had better start thinking about a couple of recipes for Cinco de Mayo.

Contrary to what many people believe, Cinco de Mayo is not Mexican Independence Day.  (It also has nothing to do with mayonnaise for those of you who flunked high school Spanish.)  The 5th of May commemorates the Mexican army’s 1862 victory over France at the Battle of Puebla during the Franco-Mexican War.  (And yes, I had to Google this factoid.)

I won’t go into all of the gory battle details but there is one part of the battle that rarely gets talked about and that is the role the avocado played.  It has been said (I just said it out loud so it HAS been said) that when the soldiers were battling the French that they would pull avocados off the trees and throw them at their enemies.  The enemies fled leaving a trail of mashed green fruit behind them.

The Mexican soldiers were jumping for joy at their victory when one of the guys slipped and landed in a green pile of crushed avocados.  He was so delirious with happiness that he grabbed some of the green mash and shoved it in his mouth to be funny.  He experienced a delightful, creamy flavor that he had to share it with the world.  This infamous soldier’s name was….Senor Santo Guacamole!  (Okay, none of that ever happened.)

The only part of that story that is remotely true is the fact that the avocado originated in the state of Puebla, Mexico.  And that I don’t think Cinco de Mayo would be complete without a big bowl of guacamole on the table.

Guacamole

Ingredients

2 large RIPE avocados (I always have a spare or two in the house in case one of them isn’t ripe.)

1 lime

1 roma tomato, diced

½ white onion, diced and rinsed in cold water

2 TBsp cilantro chopped, a little extra to sprinkle on top as a garnish

a sprinkle of cumin

Directions

In a medium bowl, scoop out avocado and immediately squirt it with ½ of the lime.  Mash to desired consistency.  (I like some bigger lumps of avocado to remain and not to mushy.)

Mix in remaining ingredients except remaining half of lime.

Using the back of the spoon, smooth the top of the guacamole so it is flat.  Squirt the remaining lime on top but don’t mix it in yet.

Take a sheet of plastic wrap and place it directly on the avocado.  Push out any air.

Ding!  30 minutes has passed, take off plastic wrap and mix in the remaining lime juice.

Sprinkle the rest of the cilantro on top and ole!

If you like it spicy, add a little cayenne or hot sauce.

Happy Cinco de Mayo!!!