A Gringo Cinco de Mayo
The truth is, Cinco de Mayo is not even a particularly popular holiday in Mexico. Contrary to what we may have been led to believe, Cinco de Mayo is not Mexican Independence Day (that takes place in September). It in fact commemorates the Mexican defeat of the French at the Battle of Puebla during the years of the French occupation of Mexico. Now, the day is celebrated as a symbol of Mexican unity and has taken on a new life for Mexican-Americans as a day to honor their history and culture.
As a native of a small town in Southern California with a large Mexican population, Mexican food was practically part of my everyday diet. There were a couple dozen Taco Shops in town, each with its own burritos, taquitos, quesadillas, and yes, tacos--all vying for the authenticity to call them self the “real” Taco Shop. Having had some exposure to Mexican culture as part of my youth, I too participate in Cinco de Mayo, a day that really is as much for the gringos of this country as it is for anyone. Thus every Cinco de Mayo, I embrace the excuse to hit up the local watering hole for some cervezas and margaritas and to celebrate the cuisine and the country that is such an integral part of even our own.
One of the great things about immigration is when the cuisines of two countries come together. The story of Mexican food in the US has much to do with the kind of immigration and imperialism that spurred the observance of Cinco de Mayo in the first place. Although corn tortillas and beans go way back to the pre-Columbian diet of the Aztecs, the meats that we love in Mexican food--from carne asada to carnitas--were introduced during the occupation of the Spanish when the conquistadores brought cattle and pork to this continent. With no pork, there would have been no lard, almost certainly that secret ingredient that keeps those dozens of taco shops in business.
So this year I propose a party honoring the special blending of Mexican and American cultures with a truly Gringo Cinco de Mayo. The Californian in me can’t wait to mutate an otherwise unhealthy dish like a greasy tostada by lightening up the pork filling with some fruit and vegetables. Topped with lettuce and queso fresco (I chose not to take this gringo thing too far by laying off the goat cheese) and you practically have a salad, save for the requisite fried tortilla that is. But just in case my take on Cal-Mexican is starting to sound a little too health-conscious, one sip of a Gringo Margarita and all health concerns are forgiven. God bless Mexico for tequila and America for its flavorless but foamy light beer, because when the two come together in a blender it makes for one fine and frothy margarita.
Grab a cerveza and a grilled vegetable and goat cheese quesadilla. Because whether you are Spanish, French, Mexican or an All-American mutt like me, we can at least take a little pride in the cuisine of the country we celebrate this and every 5th of May.
Serves/Makes: 4
- 1 can (12 ounce size) frozen limeade
- ice
- 1/2 bottle light domestic beer (such as Miller light, Bud Light, etc.)
- white tequila
Blended: Place limeade in bottom of blender. Fill blender the rest of the way to the top with ice. Add beer. Fill pitcher the rest of the way with tequila. Blend until smooth.
On the rocks: Combine the limeade, beer, and tequila in a shaker. Add ice to the serving glass.
Serve in salt rimmed glasses (optional).
Made with white onion, garlic, jalapeno, cumin, ground coriander, chili powder, kosher salt, black pepper, pork loin chops, pineapple
Serves/Makes: 8
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil, plus additional for frying
- 1/2 medium white onion
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 tablespoon minced jalapeno, fresh with seeds removed or canned
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 2 teaspoons ground coriander
- 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
- black pepper
- 4 thin cut boneless pork loin chops
- 1/4 medium pineapple
- 1/2 small jicama
- 8 corn tortillas
- salt
- 1 romaine heart
- queso fresco
Heat vegetable oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Mince onion and garlic. Add onion to pan and saute for 2-3 minutes until they begin to soften. Add garlic and jalapeno and saute for another two minutes.
Meanwhile, combine cumin, coriander, chili powder, salt and a few cracks of black pepper in a medium bowl. Cut pork loin chops into half inch cubes. Toss pork with seasoning to coat.
Add pork to saute pan with a little more oil if necessary. Saute pork stirring occasionally until cooked through, about 5 minutes.
Peel jicama and cut into half-inch dice. Peel pineapple, remove core and cut into half inch dice as well.
Heat an inch of vegetable oil over medium high heat in a cast iron skillet. Fry corn tortillas one at a time. Remove to paper towels to drain and sprinkle with salt immediately.
Shred romaine.
To assemble, remove pork from heat when cooked through and stir in diced jicama and pineapple. Top each tortilla with pork filling, lettuce, and crumbled queso fresco.
Can be served as an entree or appetizer.
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