Mexican food is an integral part of Mexican holidays and celebrations, adding to the color and vibrancy of the occasion. One holiday that most people have heard of is Day of the Dead, which is when families gather together to remember their loved ones who have died. Day of the Dead is celebrated on November 1 and 2.
The traditions followed on this holiday include building altars to honor the dead and visiting their graves with gifts of the deceased’s favorite foods and drinks.
Another well-known Mexican holiday is Cinco de Mayo. This is a regional holiday all over Mexico, but especially in the area of Puebla. This holiday celebrates the Mexican victory over the French in the Battle of Puebla, which was fought in 1862.
Many people assume that Cinco de Mayo is Mexican Independence Day but this is wrong because their Independence Day is September 16. Independence Day is perhaps the most important Mexican national holiday of all.
Mouthwatering Mexican Holiday Foods
Mexicans are very proud of their culinary heritage, which blends Mayan, Aztec, traditional Mexican, Spanish, French and Caribbean influences and more. Some Mexican holidays have special foods associated with them but with others, like Cinco de Mayo, people just make their favorite dishes to enjoy.
The women usually gather together and cook huge amounts of food for the celebrations and festivities. Tamales are often made for Mexican celebrations because they take a lot of time to make. Tamales are often made several times a year in big batches. Steamed tamales are a great Mexican food for the holidays.
Mexican wedding cookies and Mexican wedding cakes are popular at many holidays, not just weddings like the name implies. Rosca de Reyes is a festive bread made for January 6. The bread, which is shaped like a wreath, contains cherries, candied figs, mango, and lemon and contains a baby Jesus figurine. The person who gets the figurine in their slice has to make the food for Candlemas, which is on February 2.
Mexican Holiday Drinks
A lot of people wrongly assume that Mexicans only drink Mexican beer and tequila. These drinks are popular but there are some equally delicious Mexican drinks which people like to treat themselves to on Mexican holidays. One great example is rompope, which is a frothy, thick drink. Rompope is a bit like eggnog and it is flavored with cinnamon, rum, and almonds.
Atole is a thick drink, which is often served on Mexican holidays with breakfast, lunch, or dinner. It is flavored with cinnamon, sweetened with brown sugar, and topped with fruit. Atole is a very special and luxurious drink.
Many people are sadly unaware of what authentic Mexican recipes entail, partly because of the popularity of Mexican fast food and partly because not many people outside of Mexico really grasp what this exciting cuisine is all about. You do not have to wait for a Mexican holiday to try making some delicious Mexican inspired dishes!
