Cinco de Mayo: The Real Mexico

Forget Narcos and Nachos. Mexico is home to some of the most celebrated cultural traditions on Earth. Come with us to Puebla find out the truth about this Fiesta.

Here at the 24hr Tourist we love a good festival. Food, music, colour, dancing, whatever the occasion count us in. And, if you get to travel and absorb new cultures and experiences, even better!

Today we’re bringing the you the festival of Cinco de Mayo, injecting a flavour of Mexico into your life. So, get your cupboards stocked with some black beans and every type of chilli you can get your hands on, and enjoy an evening Mexican Style.

Cinco de Mayo is often incorrectly understood to be Mexico’s Independence Day, but this is in fact celebrated on 16 September, the day Mexico gained independence from Spanish rule in 1810. May 5th on the other hand marks the victory of the Battle of Puebla, a bloody siege where Mexicans beat invading French troops in the town of Los Angeles de Puebla. Despite being hugely outnumbered it only took Mexican fighters one day to defeat the insurgents. This was a huge victory and a turning point in Mexico’s war with France. Historically Cinco de Mayo was only celebrated locally in the region the battle took place – not like the widespread party night we see today.

In the 60s and 70s Mexican-American civil rights activists began to use the day to mark the victory of Mexico’s indigenous people, empowering communities to celebrate their culture and heritage. As well as sharing food, music and other traditions, scholars wrote articles about the repression and police brutality experienced by the community. In more recent years, the struggles of El Movimiento is all but forgotten, overlooked in favour of beer, tequila, and guacamole parties. Much like St. Patricks day, it has become more of a corporate commodity than a culture celebration.

So, before the festivities of music and food commence, I invite you to spare a moment to learn something about this rich and intriguing culture.

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Music

Mexican music integrates a huge number of styles and genres, with influences from the around the world it is diverse and eclectic. Three of the main Mexican Folk Music Genres include Mexicana Son, Ranchera and Mariachi.

Much like Cuban Son, Mexicana Son is a fusion of indigenous, Spanish and African tradition, with rhythms and instruments showing clear regional differences.

Ranchera is a more traditional folk music with songs telling stories about love and nature. While rhythms can vary, each starts and concludes with an instrumental. It emerged before the Mexican revolution on the rural ranches.

‘Mariachi’ describes the group of musicians and their instruments rather than the style of music (much like an orchestra or quartet), although the writing and recording of folk music in modern times has largely standardised the style of music played. Popular at Mexican weddings for their ornate traditional dress and often romantic musical themes, Mariachi Bands are now a globally recognised part of Mexican Cultural Tradition.

Stick on the playlist and relax, or for the full Mexicana experience head into the kichen to cook up a spicey storm.

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Food

As well as being home to the historic battle site, the town of Puebla is also recognised by many to be the culinary capital of Mexico. Forget nacho chips, tonight is the night to try a recipe from a country whose food is so unique it is honoured and safeguarded by UNESCO World Heritage.

Mexican Mole (Vegan) Recipe

Mole is a dish eaten more than any other in Puebla on Cinco de Mayo, so for an authentic experience give this recipe a go. It is a little time consuming but very simple and makes a sauce perfect for pouring on your enchiladas and tortilla dishes. Specialist chillies can be ordered online, or just give it a go with the chillies available in your local shop.

Ingredients

• 7 Ancho chilies and 6 Mulato chiles (Alternative: If you can’t get your hands on these, fear not. Roast some bell peppers with mild chilli and smoked paprika for a slight variation on the dish)

• 6 Pasilla chiles (Alternative: Exchange for a mild/ medium chilli powder)

• 3 Whole/ tsp chipotle chilies dried – flakes are available in most supermarket spice section

• 1 Onion, small

• 2-3 Roma, or plum tomatoes (if supplies are limited you can use tinned plum tomatoes. Drain and save the juice for later)

• 3 Garlic cloves

• 2/3 cup Raisins

• ¾ cup Raw peanuts, unsalted

• 2/3 cup Almonds (Alternative: Swap nuts for sunflower and extra pumpkin seeds for a nut-free variation)

• 1/3 cup Pumpkin seeds

• 1/3 cup Sesame seeds

• 2 Corn tortillas, cut into fourths

• 1 Bolillo, a couple of days old, sliced (Alternative: A stale white bread roll)

• 1 Ripe plantain, peeled sliced

• 1 stick Cinnamon broken into pieces

• 3 Whole cloves

• ½ tsp Anise seed (Alternative: 2 Star anise)

• ½ cone Piloncillo (Alternative: ½ cup dark brown sugar, 1tsp molasses)

• 1 tablet Mexican chocolate (Ibarra) (Alternative: 50g 70% dark chocolate)

• 1L Water or vegetable stock

• 2 Vegetable bouillon cubes (optional)

• 1 tsp Black peppercorns

• Olive oil or avocado oil

Method

1. Remove the seeds and stems from dried chiles, and using cast iron pan or dry frying pan on a medium heat toast the chiles – don’t burn them or the sauce will be bitter. Once toasted submerge in a pot of hot water and let soak for 20 minutes. For powdered spice alternatives, skip this step.

2. While the chiles are soaking, simmer the tomato, onion, and garlic in water 6-7 minutes, or until the tomatoes lose their skins and the onion is tender. Drain and set aside. (Alternative: If using canned tomatoes, add after cooking and draining the onion and garlic)

3. Once the chiles are soft and pliable, place them in the blender with 1 cup of the liquid. Blend until smooth. Strain and set aside.

4. In a large pan fry the following ingredients one-at-a-time in vegetable oil on a medium-high heat until deep golden brown, almost burnt: Raisins, pumpkin seeds, peanuts, almonds, tortilla, bolillo (sliced bread roll), and plantain.

5. Place the fried ingredients in the blender with the cinnamon stick, clove, anise seed (or star anise), black peppercorns, and sesame seeds. Add 1 cup of water and blend. Add as much water as necessary to get your blender to process the ingredients into a smooth thick sauce. Strain and set aside.

6. In a large pot (preferably clay) heat ½ cup of water, piloncillo (dark brown sugar and molasses), vegetable bouillon and chocolate. Stir constantly until it dissolves.

7. Add the chile mixture and the nut/ bread mix and until all ingredients come together in a smooth sauce. Season to taste with salt and pepper if needed.

8. Simmer for 15 minutes, stirring constantly - recheck seasoning before leaving to cool.

9. Serve and enjoy, or store for later.

The 24hr Tourist would like to thank The Culture Trip and Live About for contibuting to the Mexican Music History research, and Dora's Table for the original Vegan mole recipe, updated by The 24hr Tourist for a UK audience.