The 5th of May, also known as Cinco de Mayo, is an important holiday for celebrating Mexican culture, heritage, and history. This day is mainly observed in Mexico and the United States.

Many of the holiday celebrations surrounding this holiday occur in or around Tex-Mex restaurants across North America. While that’s a good way for people to celebrate this holiday, we actually think that people should do a little more than that in honor of the spirit of this celebration.

That’s why in this post, we’re going to talk about the Best Food and Drink Ideas for Celebrating Cinco de Mayo. Let’s explore some of these foods and drinks and find out how we can use them to make Cinco de Mayo a once-in-a-year event that will thrill friends and foes alike.

Blue Lagoon Margaritas

We think margaritas are the foundation of any good Cinco de Mayo celebration, but we don’t want the usual mixture of margarita mix topped with triple sec and tequila. We want something with a little more “zip!” One of our favorite margaritas is the Blue Lagoon Margarita. This drink combines ½ cup of tequila, ½ cup of blue curacao, 1/3 cup of frozen limeade concentrate, ½ cup chilled Sprite soda, 3 tablespoons of coarse sugar, and 4 lime slices to create a pitcher of something truly amazing.

Chicken Nachos

Nachos are another foundational food for this holiday. But we think the nachos that most places serve are just old-fashioned and that the whole recipe needs an update. That’s why we like serving Chicken Nachos Queso Blanco at our Cinco de Mayo celebration.

All you need are some cooked chicken breasts, chili powder, cumin, tortilla chips, a can of diced tomatoes and green chilies, and some queso blanco. Combine all those ingredients with some salsa, guacamole, and sour cream, and you have nachos that will become the talk of the town.

Pulled Pork Quesadillas

Now don’t get us wrong, we do love quesadillas that are just made with tortillas and cheese. But we do think that they can be improved upon, and one way to do that is by adding a little bit of pulled pork to them before frying them up. If pulled pork isn’t your cup of tea, chicken or other fine meats can be used in place of pulled pork.

Micheladas

Another great drink that’s sure to spice up any Cinco de Mayo celebration is the Michelada. This Mexican drink is made with beer, lime juice, chili peppers, spices, and assorted sauces such as Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, and hot sauce. There are about a hundred different recipes that can be found online – like this one here. Trust us, this is definitely a drink that people are going to want to enjoy on this holiday.

Horchata

Also known as orxata, this beverage is a sweet rice milk beverage that’s made with rice, vanilla, milk, and cinnamon. It’s non-alcoholic, so it appeals to a wide range of people, and it’s a great drink to enjoy while it’s hot outside.

Strawberry Sopapillas

The next dish we would recommend for Cinco de Mayo is strawberry sopapillas. This is a fried pastry that’s rolled in cinnamon and sugar, with a scoop of ice cream strategically placed in the middle. It’s then covered with a delicious sauce made from strawberries and sugar.

Fried Ice Cream

What many people don’t realize is that you can actually deep-fry ice cream. First, you have to make sure that a scoop of vanilla ice cream is frozen solid. Then it’s dipped into an egg mixture and rolled in corn flakes. After it’s allowed to set in the freezer for a few moments, it’s then deep-fried for 30 seconds in hot oil. The fried ice cream is then removed and covered with honey and topped with chopped nuts. It’s the perfect dish to end Cinco de Mayo.

That’s all of the tips and tricks we have for turning this Cinco de Mayo into a true culinary event. Cinco de Mayo is a great way to not only embrace Mexican culture and history but also to spend time with friends and family members. So, let’s enjoy it with much enthusiasm, shall we