The History of Cinco de Mayo in 5 Margaritas

I learned from my piece on St. Patrick’s Day that no one really cares why they’re partying. Does it really matter? But since this site is all about the joy of knowledge (and maybe some adult beverages), here’s a quick history of Cinco de Mayo, presented in the form of five different margaritas.

 

Classic Margarita (tequila, orange liqueur, and lime juice)

This one is straightforward and gives you just what you’re looking for, as in the history of Cinco de Mayo. In a nutshell, Cinco de Mayo refers to May 5, 1862, and has absolutely nothing to do with Mexico’s Independence Day (which is celebrated on September 16 and dates to 1810 when Mexico declared independence from Spain). The celebration on May 5 actually relates to a military victory by Mexico over France!

 

Agave Margarita (tequila, orange liqueur, lime juice, and agave nectar)

This concoction adds a bit of depth and balance to the story. After achieving independence from Spain in 1821, a young Mexico found itself accumulating foreign debt as a result of various wars including the Mexican-American War and the Mexican War of Reform (a civil war).

European nations such as Great Britain, Spain, and France were prepared to take military action to collect those debts, though France—led by Napoleon III—had grander intentions, namely that of building an empire and destabilizing the US by supporting the Confederacy in the American Civil War.

French troops ended up landing in Mexico in 1861 (this was actually their second invasion if you count the one from 1838 – 1839 as the first). On May 5, 1862, as the French approached Mexico City, the outnumbered Mexicans pulled off a big upset in what was called the Battle of Puebla, contributing to a rising sense of nationalism and future Cinco de Mayo celebrations.

 

Spicy Margarita (either of the first two margaritas with the addition of fresh jalapeños)

This one has a kick, as in the way the victorious Mexicans would soon receive a kick in the guts. You see, the Mexican victory was short-lived as the powerful French regrouped and ultimately achieved their goal of capturing Mexico City, thereby establishing an empire headed by Maximilian I (an Austrian).

Receiving some help from the Americans along the way, Mexican forces eventually captured and executed Maximilian in 1867, marking the end of the brief French experiment and resulting in the restoration of a republic.

 

Pure Mexican Margarita (tequila, lime juice, and agave nectar)

The reason for eliminating the orange liqueur is obvious—one of the most common types, triple sec, originated in France. Taking it one step further, several well-known orange liqueur brands—things like Cointreau and Grand Marnier—are based in France. (Orange liqueur, by the way, refers to a diverse group of distilled spirits that are flavored orange, often by using dried orange peels.) If you want to stay historically accurate, you can skip the French products on a day when we’re celebrating the country’s defeat.

And as a side note, orange liqueur on its own tastes kind of…gross.

 

Frozen Margarita (any margarita thrown in a blender with ice)

The final recipe serves as a reminder that we all live in a more or less blended world. As of now, the most prominent Cinco de Mayo celebrations are in the United States, generally dwarfing anything encountered in Mexico. In fact, Los Angeles claims to have the largest Cinco de Mayo celebration in the world.

Surprising? Not really. Of course, the US is remarkably adept at commercializing everything. But on a deeper level, it’s worth noting that modern-day Los Angeles was located in Mexico prior to the aforementioned Mexican-American War, and well over a third of residents in Los Angeles County are of Mexican descent. Furthermore, Spanish and English are in the same language family, regularly loaning words to each other and leaving linguists to contemplate how to classify something called Spanglish.

Obviously, if you’re the type who laments things like fusion and cultural appropriation, you can skip this one. Come to think of it, you should probably skip the whole event.

 

Alright, enough of that questionable exercise. Just remember the ultra-modern history of Cinco de Mayo—find the nearest Mexican restaurant and take an Uber home.