By Christina Frescki, MBA, RDN, FAND
Many people believe that Cinco de Mayo is Mexican Independence Day, but in fact, it commemorates a single battle during the Franco-Mexican War.
Under General Charles Latrille de Lorencez, 6,000 French troops set out to attack Puebla de Los Angeles, a small Mexican town. The Mexican president, Benito Juárez, gathered 2,000 men and sent them to Puebla. On May 5, 1862, Lorencez led an assault. The battle lasted from early morning to evening that day. In the end, the French retreated and lost nearly 500 soldiers. Fewer than 100 Mexicans had been killed in the battle.
Cinco de Mayo has become a day recognizing and celebrating the Mexican culture. Many traditional Mexican foods are enjoyed during the celebration.
Molé Poblano is noted as one of the official dishes of Cinco de Mayo. It is a thick, dark sauce typically served over chicken. There are many different types of mole sauces found in Mexico, but Molé Poblano is a Puebla recipe.
The recipes are varied and have many different ingredients. Some of the most common ingredients are corn tortilla, dried chilies, onion, garlic, raisins, peanuts, almonds, seeds, coriander, cinnamon, cloves, black pepper, and Mexican chocolate. The ingredients (except for the chocolate) are fried and then pureed into a sauce.
Enjoy the day with your favorite Mexican foods and remember the battle at Puebla!
