Cinco de Mayo

Cinco de Mayo. Possibly one of the best holidays ever, even though it seems like it is more celebrated in the US than Mexico. Coming from Southern California, this was always a holiday we "observed" in school. We learned the Mexican Hat Dance, ate tacos, chips and salsa. Later it turned into another reason to have a party, eat tacos, chips and salsa and drink Corona. Norwegians have never heard of this "holiday". I feel so sorry for them. So in rememberance of the Battle of Puebla here are some ideas for hosting your own Cinco de Mayo Fiesta.

Color is a necessity for your fiesta. Think bright: teal, pink, lime green, yellow, orange! You can send invitations on a blank piece of paper in one of these colors and with an envelope in another color. Mix-and- match for all of your guests.



CRASH COURSE IN MARGARITAS: The perfect marg is not from the mix. To make a high quality margarita you need high quality tequila, try Tequila Corralejo Blanco (355 NOK). It won the Gold Medal last year in the San Francisco World Spirits Competition! Here is a recipe for margaritas to serve 8: 355 ml tequila, 120 ml triple sec or Cointreau and 235 ml of lime juice. This is the perfect true margarita. Mix and serve with ice. You can also toss it all in the blender for the frozen version.

The perfect blend for this casual fiesta is some easy, fuss-free food. Think Mexican tapas: soft tacos, homemade salsa and guacamole, and super cheesy quesadillas.

Quacamole to die for:
3 medium avocados, mashed
2 large tomatoes, seeded and diced
64 grams diced onion
3 Tablespoons minced corinader/cilantro
2 Tablespoons lime juice
1 small jalapeno seeded and minced
1 clove garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste

Combine everything and season to taste! Cover and let sit at least 30 min before serving.

Chicken Tacos from scratch!:
2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 Tablespoon chile powder
1 clove garlic, minced
1 kg chicken breasts, cut into thin strips.
2 teaspoons vegetable oil

Combine lemon juice, chile powder, garlic in a bowl and let it sit for a few minutes. Add chicken and throughly coat with the sauce. Let marinate for 1 hour in refrigerate. Heat the oil in a skillet and saute chicken until cooked. Serve with cheese, shredded lettuce, salsa, guacamole, sliced jalapenos and lime.

Cilantro-Lime Rice (for a little something on the side):
450 ml rice
120 ml chopped cilantro
60 ml fresh lime juice
2 tsp lime zest
salt

Cook rice with normal directions. Place cooked rice in a bowl. Toss with all and season with salt to taste. Serve immediately or at room temperature.

And of course some dessert :)

Mexican Chocolate Cake
2 packages of American brownie mix
225 ml vegetable oil
6 eggs
2 tbsp instant coffee
225 ml dark chocolate chips
3 tbsp coffee-flavored liquer (Kahlua)

icing: 550 ml cold cream
2 Tbsp powdered sugar
2 tsp vanilla
100 ml candy confetti

Heat oven to 175 C. Grease two round cake pans. Mix brownie mix, oil, eggs, coffee and 60ml water. Stir in chocolate chips. Divide batter into two pans. Bake until cooked through (35-40 minutes). Place on a wire rack to completely cool. Slice cool cakes in half horizontally and brush with coffee liqueur.
Beat cream in a chilled bowl for 1-2 minutes, add sugar and vanilla. Continue to beat until whipped cream. Place one layer on cake platter, spread with icing. Repeat with all layers. Frost all sides when finished. Chill for 30 minutes, sprinkle with candy!

Enjoy the margaritas and Cinco de Mayo!