Admit it, hombre. You’ve got no idea what Cinco de Mayo is all about.



I mean actually all about, not just that Cinco de Mayo is that super fun day in May when you drink so much Mexican beer that your mouth goes numb, that day when you once took your top off at a Taco Del Mar, that day when you drink margaritas the size of your head. Of course you know all of that — look at your track record. I’m digging deeper.

I mean to say you’ve got no idea what the history of Cinco de Mayo is, why it’s a holiday in the first place, what foods Mexicans actually eat — for real — on the day, and why the powers that be have been able to convince you into buying ungodly amounts of Corona in its name.



It’s OK. You’re not alone. Very few gringos know why they drink until they fall down on Cinco de Mayo — they just do. Hardly anyone knows why they make the seemingly obligatory trip to Chevy’s Fresh Mex on Cinco de Mayo — they just do.



To get to the bottom of such questions, and because it’s my first time writing in the food section and I really don’t know any better, I got creative. At least moderately creative, anyway.



Who better to direct these hard-hitting gringo questions to than actual Mexicans? Surely they’re tired of the blind, consumer-driven oblivion of white folks on Cinco de Mayo, and hopefully (maybe) you’re in the mood to take your understanding of Mexican culture beyond Taco Time Mexi-Fries.



In that spirit I reached out to a contact of mine at a local landscaping company, and through the magic of promised beer, I was able to distribute a brief questionnaire asking just such questions to members of our area’s Mexican-American community.



But before we get to that, a little history is in order. First and foremost, Cinco de Mayo is not (I repeat NOT) Mexico’s Independence Day. Mexico’s Independence Day is actually Sept. 16.The truth of the matter is Cinco de Mayo is more of a localized, regional holiday in Mexico — not even celebrated in all parts of the country. It’s not a federal holiday, either, but it is certainly a big deal — mainly in the state of Puebla. On May 5, 1862 the Mexican army (the classic underdogs) scored an unlikely victory over attacking French forces at the Battle of Puebla — French forces that hadn’t tasted defeat in almost 50 years. It was basically like the Giants knocking off the Patriots in the Super Bowl, only times 10 and with real historical, societal and cultural repercussions.  It was definitely a big deal. For this reason people in Puebla celebrate the military victory to this day.

According to the Mexicans I polled, the reaction to this fact is mixed. Plenty seem to realize the obvious — that America has co-opted one of their holidays for the sake of profit — but others don’t seem to mind taking part in the festivities.



“We see something commercial, and a lot of sales in Mexican restaurants and for Mexican beers,” said one polled participant about the perception of Cinco de Mayo in America, admitting that sometimes Mexicans secretly laugh at Americans because “we celebrate for different reasons.”



“To me it’s not a big deal,” said another. “Independence day is bigger.”



“The day is so big for my family, because we’re from Puebla. We won the battle. I’m so happy for that,” said a third.



These three voices, and others, however, did say there are plenty of ways — and plenty of foods — that local Mexican Americans will celebrate with on Cinco de Mayo, ranging from a trip a real, authentic Mexican restaurant like Vuelve a la Vida, to dancing at a local hall, to home celebrations with extended families centering on authentic Mexican dishes.



One particular food item that came highly recommended for Cinco de Mayo dining is mole pablano — a thick and rich, chocolate-touched sauce that is most frequently spooned on top of chicken. If the word pablano sounds familiar, it’s because you just learned about the state of Puebla — you know, where the battle that started Cinco de Mayo took place. Mole pablano is a sauce that also comes from the Puebla area, making it a menu choice perfect for Cinco de Mayo. It is prepared with dried chili peppers, spices, nuts, Mexican chocolate, charred avocado leaves and other secondary ingredients; you won’t regret the decision if you order the dish at a restaurant worth its Mexican name.



So, what have we learned? If nothing else, knowing that Cinco de Mayo is not like Mexican Fourth of July is probably enough to put you ahead of the gringo curve. Drizzle a new-found love for mole pablano on top of that, and I’d say you’ve made leaps and bounds.



Go forth and order your next margarita with newfound appreciation.