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Tres vyuz on Cinco de Mayo

By David Moye

May 1, 2006

San Diego--Besides the so-called “Day Without A Latino” protest that took place on Monday (May 1), there will also be a lot of Cinco De Mayo protests on Friday, thanks to an organization called the Cinco De Mayo con Orgullo Coalition.

Since 1997, the organization has been holding alcohol-free Cinco De Mayo festivals to protest the way the American liquor industry has turned Cinco De Mayo into a hangover holiday.

The whole connection with booze and Cinco De Mayo is a relatively new phenomenon dating back to the 1980s when America businesses like the liquor industry decided to turn what was basically a regional holiday celebrated in Puebla, Mexico, into a “hangover holiday” that now rivals St. Patrick’s’ Day with boozehounds.

Alvarez says the holiday isn’t really only celebrated in Mexico, except for the city of Puebla, and the authentic celebration has little to do with peddling beer, tequila or rolled tacos.

Although Alvarez realizes there isn’t much of a chance of getting rid of Cinco De Mayo in the U.S., organizers in 40 cities across the U.S. will protest the “alcoholification of Cinco De Mayo” by holding booze-free festivals on May 5.

The San Diego celebration will take place in City Heights from 4 to 8 p.m. and Alvarez hopes Mexican-Americans and other citizens who appreciate Mexican culture will use the occasion to “celebrate the heritage with dignity.”

Other Latinos also want to celebrate Cinco De Mayo with dignity but also with a drink.

Juan Arias is the assistant manager at the El Agave restaurant in Old Town, which has the second largest tequila collection in the world—more than 1600 different styles.

He knows that Friday will be a busy day but wants people to understand that tequila in its finest form is a drink that “is meant to sipped like a brandy, not mixed in a drink.”

Still, Arias agrees that the margarita is a beloved drink—but only in its classic form.

He says a good margarita combines quality tequila with lime juice and an orange-flavored liqueur like Cointreau, Triple Sec or Grand Marnier and the concoction is poured into crushed ice but not blended like a Slurpee.

Although any kind of tequila can theoretically be used, Arias says it’s important not to use a brand that will give a headache in the morning. Also, he says the “blancos” style of tequila is probably best because it has the “bite” necessary to cut through the sweeter tastes of the other ingredients.

Also, he says it’s crucial for a good margarita to have a strong hint of lime, even if they’re made of mango or strawberry.

As far as food, Arias knows Americans think chips and salsa are the natural combination, but he recommends mole dishes or, in a pinch, tacos or quesadillas. He says emphatically that one should never complement a margarita with a burrito or chimichanga.

Now, while the anti-”Drinko De Mayo” faction wants Americans to associate Cinco De Mayo with an important battle for independence and not alcohol, one American thinks combining both is perfectly acceptable.

Ed Decker, a renowned mixologist and columnist for CityBEAT magazine, says anyone truly interested in the cause of freedom has a duty to drink on Cinco De Mayo, if only to salute the brave Mexican soldiers who defeated their enemy despite having one-third the number of soldiers.

Decker figures Americans love the underdog so they should be able to get drunk once a year to celebrate how their neighbors south of the border once beat up the French.

There is a proper protocol. If you’re buying tequila shots for freedom on May 5, you should include any Mexicans in the bar and toast them with a breezy “Viva el Cinco De Mayo.”

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