According to those who count such things, guacamole sales in the United States will hit its yearly high today. (Superbowl Sunday comes in second, in case you wondered.)
A few years ago, I happened to be in Mexico on the 5th of May. Oddly enough, I found no parties or celebrations to attend, and barely a mention of Cinco de Mayo on the streets. The grocery ads didn’t even capitalize, as we do here, on the obvious commercialism.
So what’s with that?
Curiosity turned me to Google, and there I found that on May 5, 1862, in the Battle of Puebla, the Mexican forces had an unlikely victory over the French. In the state of Puebla, this date is joyfully commemorated. Elsewhere in Mexico, not so much.
I also learned that in the US this “holiday,” is actually an American Civil War holiday, created spontaneously by Mexicans and Latinos living in California who supported the cause of defending freedom and democracy during the first years of “the war between the states.”
According to Wikipedia, “Mexican miners were so overjoyed at the news of victory at the Battle of Puebla that they spontaneously fired off rifles shots and fireworks, sang patriotic songs and made impromptu speeches. The holiday, which has been celebrated in California continuously since 1863, is virtually ignored in Mexico.”
So that cleared up all my questions as it increased my appetite for good Mexican food. Rest assured, I’ll soon be munching on some warm tortilla chips. Viva la guacamole!