In just a few weeks, Mexican-Americans will be getting together with their families to celebrate el Cinco de Mayo. El Cinco de Mayo, May 5th, marks the victory of the Mexican army over the French at the Battle of Puebla in 1862, according to SheKnows.com. While el Cinco de Mayo is nowhere near as important of a holiday as Mexican Independence Day in the fall, it is a great opportunity for friends and family to come together to celebrate the life they have together.
If you’re planning to celebrate the victory at Puebla by having your friends and family over for a party, there are two things you need to consider to make sure it’s a resounding success: the decorations and the food. Lucky for you, we can help you out with both!
Dressing the House for Cinco de Mayo Celebrations
To properly emulate a Cinco de Mayo party like you’d see in Mexico, you should make an effort to decorate your home in as many colors as you can find. As Better Homes and Gardens points out, sunflowers make for vibrant, traditional centerpieces, and decorating an outdoor patio area with readily available, cheap paper decorations from your local market can bring that authentic, energetic feel your party desperately needs. If you do decide to host the party outside, yellow, green, and red-colored lanterns with candles will make for a festive, warm atmosphere after the sun goes down.
Putting Together the Ceviche, the Heart of Your Party
Of course, no party for el Cinco de Mayo would be complete without delicious Hispanic food. For us, ceviche, one of the most delicious recetas de camarones, makes a light, zippy dish that all of your guests can enjoy. Here’s a simple ceviche recipe you can use to satisfy your guests’ taste buds, adapted from Food.com.
- 1 pound shrimp, 51-60 count size
- Juice of five limes
- 2 Roma tomatoes, diced
- 1 green bell pepper, chopped
- 4 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaf, chopped
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 tablespoons white vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce of choice
- 1 small red onion, diced
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- Salt and pepper to taste
- In a large bowl, combine the shrimp and the lime juice. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap, and set it in the refrigerator to cure and chill for at least four hours. Overnight would be best.
- Remove the bowl from the refrigerator, draining off two-thirds of the lime juice.
- Add all remaining ingredients to the bowl, being sure to stir until everything is evenly distributed.
- Serve the ceviche in margarita glasses with salted rims, topping the presentation off with a fresh slice of lemon.
With your colorful decorations setting the ambiance of your party and this simple recipe for ceviche tickling your guests’ taste buds, it’s safe to say that your party for el Cinco de Mayo will stick in your friends’ and family’s memories for a long time to come. Just beware that you’re setting a high standard that you’ll have to match next May 5. Buen apetito!