I love Cinco de Mayo! Actually for the longest time, I thought Cinco de Mayo was only celebrated in Texas (since Mexico is our neighbor!). It was only after I went to college at Auburn, that I realized Cinco de Mayo is everyone’s favorite excuse to eat Mexican food and drink margaritas. Cinco de Mayo is not actually Mexican Independence Day, like most people think… but I’ll spare you the history lesson (if you do want to know more, this is a pretty good synopsis of Cinco de Mayo’s history from Buzzfeed).
Anyway, with Cinco de Mayo falling on a Friday this year, it is the perfect time to go out, celebrate and have a great time! Here are my Top 5 Cinco de Mayo Essentials!
1. Fajitas
In Texas, fajitas are a dietary staple – you might as well add them to the food pyramid for us! Most fajitas are made with skirt steak or flank steak from the local grocery store. But, since we take our fajitas seriously in Texas, I will usually splurge and make mine with Certified Akaushi Flank Steak from HeartBrand Beef, since the beef is the centerpiece of the dish. Unfortunately, HeartBrand Beef only ships Monday – Wednesday, so if you haven’t placed your order already, they won’t arrive in time for Cinco de Mayo. But, seriously, who only eats fajitas on Cinco de Mayo…? Give them a try! Cooking fajitas is pretty simple as well, but if you’re a newbie, I would recommend this fajita recipe from the Pioneer Woman.
2. Serape
Serape blankets and the serape pattern, are an iconic symbol of Mexican culture. You can learn a little more about the history of Mexican Serape Blankets here. Recently I’ve noticed the serape pattern popping up everywhere! It’s now the new hot trend that everyone is wearing, especially in the world of western fashion. So what better time to flaunt your serape than Cinco de Mayo? I love these styles!
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ZARAPE BOOTS FROM ROCKETBUSTER
3. Margaritas
Frozen or on the rocks? Salt or no salt? Personally I’m an on the rocks with salt girl, but I’m not that picky – I’ll usually drink any style of margarita that is offered to me. But for Cinco de Mayo, where you’ll likely be enjoying multiple margaritas, here are a few tips:
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Go for top shelf tequila
My dad calls tequila “to-kill-ya”, and if you’ve ever had a bad tequila hangover, I think you can agree with that sentiment. Top shelf tequila won’t prevent a hangover, but it might soften the blow a bit
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add some orange
A splash of fresh orange juice added to a margarita helps mellow out the lime flavor, and makes all the difference for me!
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Have a plan to get home safe
Make a plan for an Uber, Lyft or designated driver, before you start drinking. I care about y’all, and want everyone to stay safe!
4. Pinatas
Since Cinco de Mayo falls on a Friday this year, chances are you’ll have some work-related frustrations you would like to take care of. Why not buy an adorable pinata, like this cute cactus one from Amazon, fill it with prizes like candy, alcohol minis, or even gift cards (please invite me to your party if you do a gift card pinata), and start swinging!
Pro tip: order 2, and have an adult themed pinata, and another one for kids!
5. An Awesome latin music playlist
Again, this may just be a Texas thing, but I love jamming out to spanish music from time to time. Need some suggestions to get you in the mood for Cinco de Mayo? Right now Rachel’s daughter, Annie (who is almost 2), is loving Loca, by Shakira. Also, if you haven’t heard the new Justin Bieber Song “Despacito” featuring Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee, you need to stop what you’re doing and take a listen – it’s my new favorite. I also love this Cinco de Mayo Spotify playlist.