Ready for Cinco de Mayo? Vámonos!

I love Mexican food! Can I say it again? I LOVE Mexican food! I can eat it year-round for breakfast, lunch, and dinner! And it's not all tacos and enchiladas - Mexican food is as diverse as it's culture with medley-a-plenty! Enter Cinco de Mayo! Another great excuse to eat and celebrate Mexican food! Cinco de Mayo, Spanish for "Fifth of May," is a Mexican holiday commemorating the Mexican Army's defeat of the French at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862. While not widely acknowledged in Mexico, much to my delight, it's recognized in the U.S. as a celebration of Mexico's heritage and pride...and food! The web is abundant with Cinco de Mayo recipes, drinks, and fiesta-planning ideas...check out the few I found for you and plan your own fiesta!

• AllRecipes Cince de Mayo
• Reader's Digest's Cinco de Mayo Planning
• Food Network's Cinco de Mayo
• RecipeTips' Cinco de Mayo
• Epicurious' Complete Cinco de Mayo

For a unique, and hot, twist to your Cinco de Mayo fiesta, serve drinks and recipes made with Tabasco Green Sauce! Concoct a Jalapeñorita or Caliente Colada and whip up a Chile Con Queso Dip and Quickie Quesadillas. These are sure to put some fire in your celebration! If you plan to be out of town during the fiesta, perhaps you'll be in one of these lucky cities!

• 25th Annual Cinco De Mayo Fiesta, Portland, Oregon
• 26th Annual Fiesta Old Town Cinco de Mayo, San Diego, California
• 2009 Cinco de Mayo Fiesta, St. Paul, Minnesota
• Fiesta Atlanta - Cinco de Mayo Celebration, Atlanta, Georgia
• 12th Annual Cinco de Mayo Fiesta, Richmond, Virginia
• 11th Annual Cinco de Mayo Fiesta, Little Rock, Arkansas
• Viva Cinco de Mayo, San Marcos, Texas
• 24th Annual Cinco de Mayo, Omaha, Nebraska
• 18th Annual Cinco de Mayo, Santa Barbara, California
• 2009 Cinco de Mayo "Celebrate Culture" Festival, Denver, Colorado
• 11th Annual Cinco de Mayo Celebration & Chihuahua Races, Chandler, Arizona
• Cinco de Mayo Celebration, Sparks, Nevada
• San Francisco Cinco de Mayo Festival, San Franciso, California
• Anaheim Cinco de Mayo Fiesta, Anaheim, California

photo courtesy of flickr: tumblebunny