Fiesta! Feliz Cinco de Mayo

Today, in the United States, Cinco de Mayo serves as an opportunity to celebrate Mexican culture. It is also a sort of unofficial summer kick-off party for many on the East End. After the 5th of May, the sky seems a little bit clearer, the ocean a little bit warmer and the air smells a little bit sweeter. It’s an excuse to invite friends and family out for a party. Obviously, as it’s the first party of the season, it’s important that it’s a great one.

With cultural holidays and parties, it’s crucial to know what you’re celebrating. Cinco de Mayo, contrary to most American belief, is not Mexican Independence Day, which is actually September 16. Cinco de Mayo is a celebration of the battle of Puebla where the Mexican army overcame an offensive sent by Napoleon III of France in 1862. Napoleon III was attempting to overthrow the government and install a French-friendly monarchy that would allow the French to spread power through much of Central and South America. Through the next year the French would actually overtake the government and the victory of 1682 is still widely celebrated today throughout Mexico and the United States. As you can tell, though, over the years, Cinco de Mayo has morphed into a celebration of Mexican culture and ethnicity.

Here are a few essential elements for every Cinco de Mayo party. First and foremost, get outside. Make sure that most of the party is arranged outside for people to be enjoying the warm spring weather. No one minds spending time outside in May. To really enjoy the weather, set up shop by the beach. Nothing sets the mood like sitting in a beach chair, sipping on a long neck and imagining you’re in a Corona commercial.

Second is the food. It’s easy to throw together chips with salsa or even guacamole, but being more imaginative will pay off in a big way. This doesn’t mean spending the entire week slaving away in the kitchen to come up with chicken mole or carne asada for your party. My favorite Cinco de Mayo meal is “make your own tacos.” Go to the store and buy tortillas, vegetables, cheeses, sour cream, salsa and hot sauce. Then, grill some chicken and steak and leave all the ingredients out for everyone to make their own tacos. It’s easy to put together, its fun for everyone to make and it’s always a hit because your guests will make their tacos the way they like them.

With good Mexican food should, of course, come great Mexican drinks. Let’s start with beer. Most people think instantly of Corona or Dos Equis when it comes to Mexican beer, but there is much more depth to be had. Go to the beer barn and pick out some Pacifico, Leon, Sol or, my favorite, Negra Modelo. They’re all more exotic and many are better than Corona. Now, as I’m sure you were planning on, you need to have nice tequila around. There are three different types of tequila (Blanco, Reposado and Anejo) so do a little research before you buy for your party, as some are better to mix and some are better on the rocks. For the kids, see if you can’t find Mexican soft drinks like Jaritos that come in different flavors such as guava and tamarindo.

Music is also important. Depending on what kind of a mood you’re looking to set, you can fill your stereo with everything from The Gipsy Kings to mariachi music to something from today’s Latin charts. I think the best idea is a mixture of all three on an iPod playlist. With children there, it might be a good idea to keep the music changing and have something else for them to do other than eat. Throwing out a soccer or wiffle ball and bat usually serves as enough entertainment for the kids, and some adults too.

Whatever you do for your ultimate Cinco de Mayo party, remember to relax and have fun. No need to stress over what should be an easy, casual party. Summer is just around the corner, the weather is warming up and you’ve got an entire summer in the Hamptons to look forward to. So pour yourself a heaping Margarita and get ready for Cinco de Mayo.

– David L. Baron