Catering Cinco de Mayo Celebrations

Cinco de Mayo, a celebration beloved by both Mexico and America, is only a few days away. Quick history lesson: Cinco de Mayo is the celebration of the Mexican Army’s victory over the French in the Battle of Puebla on May 5th. This day now serves as a day of pride for some areas of Mexico (about 31) and Mexican Americans, similarly to the way 2 of our states celebrate Patriots Day. What better way to celebrate than with food?

In America there is a mix of traditional celebrations with authentic Mexican cuisine and modern celebrations with new takes on Mexican dishes. For those who are interested in celebrating with blending traditional and new cuisine we’ve put together a modern Cinco de Mayo meal for many! Try these modern takes on traditional Mexican meals for your upcoming catering events.

Burrito Bar – a hands-on take of the traditional burrito. Mix up the bar with authentic Mexican toppings and modern Mexican infusions. Include items such as roasted corn salsa, black beans, yellow rice, and chili rubbed grilled chicken. In Mexico, the salsa is used a spoonful at a time to enhance a dish and give a little extra kick, similarly to the way we use steak sauce. Include a freshly ground salsa (or two) into your burrito bar to really top it off.

Fresh Squeezed Margaritas – the only way to have a margarita. Traditional margaritas are served with fresh squeezed lime juice and 100% pure agave tequila over ice. It is said the most commonly used recipe in Mexico is 7 parts tequila, 4 parts orange liquor (of your choosing), and 3 parts lime juice. If you want a real Mexican margarita use Key Limes, which have a thinner skin and a tarter taste than the limes we get at a typical American grocery store. If you want to add a little twist (really, we mean little) try a citrus salt rim. You can do this by grating orange, lime, and lemon skins into kosher salt, squeezing just a little juice over the salt, and letting it dry for one full day.

Guacamole Bites – easy to eat guacamole. A favorite in Mexican cuisine, guacamole is made from ripe avocados and used on many dishes but most popularly used as a dip. While there are many variations of the dip, some calling for onions and cayenne, while others call for tomatoes and lemon juice, every guacamole is served mashed with sea salt and lime juice. The only thing to hate about guacamole is the difficulty it presents when trying to spoon it onto a plate in a large group of people. To avoid the pile up in front of the guac table, try pre-loading bite-sized chips with dollops of guacamole. This will save guests time and keep the station clean.

We’d love to see what you create for your Cinco de Mayo events. Share some of your modern Mexican dishes with us!