Fiesta por Cinco de Mayo

May 5th ,, or Cinco de Mayo as it is said in Spanish is a time to celebrate freedom. Cinco de Mayo is a  celebration commemorating Mexico’s defeat of the French Army at the Battle of Puebla (La Batalla de Puebla) in 1862. Mexicans remember the fifth of May with the same passion and patriotism Americans reserve for the Fourth of July. It is a time for Mexico to celebrate for justice and liberty. (para justicia y libertad)

The festival of Cinco de Mayo has also been embraced throughout the US and is full of celebratory music, dance and delicious food. In Mexico, preparations for the festival mirror the infectious spirit of Mardi Gras in New Orleans. Cinco de Mayo unites communities with parades, battle enactments, mariachi bands, piñatas and dances with castanets and brightly colored traditional costumes. A wonderful collection of crafts are available in the streets of Mexico as many crafters and hand woven goods come to the city for the Fiesta por Cinco de Mayo!

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Enchiladas

Enchiladas are a  traditional Mexican dish, typically made with corn (maiz) tortilla dipped briefly in hot oil to soften then dipped in the chosen enchilada sauce. The tortillas are filled and rolled up, placed in a casserole dish, then layered with sauce, then baked in an oven. The Southwestern style enchilada is typically not fried.

Enchiladas can be filled with almost anything including meat, cheese, vegetables, seafood, eggs, or even bananas. Common garnishes are cream, diced onions, sour cream , lettuce, olives, chili peppers, and fresh cilantro.

Enchilada comes from the verb enchilar, which means “to add chile pepper to”. Below are some descriptions of various types of enchiladas:

1. Enchiladas Suizas, suiza, meaning Swiss, is an adjective that indicates the dish is topped with cream or cheese
2. Enchilada Montada, means an enchilada topped with fried eggs
3. Enfrijolada, frijol, meaning bean, is an enchilada made with bean sauce rather than chili sauce
4. Estas no son snchiladas,  means “these are not enchiladas” and is a phrase used, tongue in check, to refer to something that is not easy, when in fact enchiladas are a very simple dish to prepare.

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The Incredible Edible Egg

Despite previous attention to the cholesterol content of eggs they make a valuable contribution to a healthy, balanced diet. Eggs are an excellent source of complete, high-quality protein which means they contain all essential amino acids needed for health. High quality protein has been shown to help people feel full longer, which may help to control hunger pangs. Eggs also provide significant amounts of B vitamins, as well as vitamins A, D and E, and choline, iron, phosphorus, and potassium.

The great thing about eggs is that they are one of the least expensive single-food source of protein and contain approximately 7 grams of protein.

Did you know?

1. A hen requires 24 to 26 hours to produce an egg. Thirty minutes later she starts all over again.
2. ii. White shelled eggs are laid by hens with white ear, or cream –colored, ear lobes. While brown eggs are laid by hens with red ear lobes.
3. If you spin an egg carefully on a countertop, you’ll discover that hard-boiled eggs spin, while raw ones do not.

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