This article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com.

What to really eat on Cinco de Mayo

Image 1. Dancers at the yearly Cinco de Mayo Festival in Washington, D.C., in 2007. Photo by: dbking/Wikimedia

Compared to the United States, the holiday Cinco de Mayo is celebrated very differently in

Mexico. The food, especially, is very different.

Some people believe Cinco de Mayo is Mexico's Independence Day. This is not true. It celebrates

the Mexican victory at the Battle of Puebla during the Franco-Mexican War. This war between

Mexico and France came after Mexico's independence from Spain. In Mexico, Cinco de Mayo is

mainly celebrated in the region of Puebla.

What America's Cinco de Mayo really misses is the traditional food of Mexico. Nachos with refried

beans, cheese wiz and jalapenos definitely aren't traditional. Neither are hard-shell tacos topped

with iceberg lettuce and cheddar. Taco Bell has even tried opening up in Mexico. Each time it has

failed. No one would eat there.

Traditional Mexican Food Served

What you do find is lamb barbacoa that has been smoked underground in banana leaves. You may

also find carnitas topped with queso fresco, a white crumbly cheese. They get wrapped in a warm

By Smithsonian.com, adapted by Newsela staff on 05.04.18Word Count 732Level 840L

This article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com.

homemade corn tortilla. This gets lightly heated on a griddle, called comal.

Many say that Puebla is the food center of Mexico. In ancient times, Puebla was already a cooking

capital. The sacred town of Cholula in the region is known for its great ancient pyramid. In old

times, food vendors would set up outside the pyramid. They would feed those who came to

worship.

Spanish Influence On Cooking

After arriving in the Puebla area, the Spanish settled

near Cholula. The Catholic religion was a big part of

Spanish takeover. Nuns and priests set up places of

worship across the city. Spanish nuns mixed old

cooking traditions with newer ingredients.

Here are three famous dishes from Puebla to try this

Cinco de Mayo.

1) Mole Poblano

Mole poblano may be the most popular dish in Puebla for Cinco de Mayo. But what is mole?

One story says that the Spanish heard the native

people of Mexico speak of mulli, which meant sauce.

Some believe the word mole came from mulli.

Another story says that mole comes from the Spanish

word moler, which means to grind.

Whichever story you believe, mole is a sauce made

from ground-up ingredients. It comes in all colors and

styles. The thick dark mole poblano may be most

popular around the world.

This sauce can be a bit intimidating to make. It has a

long list of ingredients, and some need to be carefully roasted and toasted. Still, after one taste, it's

worth it.

2) Chalupas

Chalupas, a beloved Poblano street food, look a bit like tostadas. Basically, chalupas are fried thick

tortillas topped with salsa, shredded meat, chopped onion and sometimes queso fresco.

Some believe chalupas got their name from baskets. The travel website All About Puebla says that

Spanish settlers would wash their clothes in the river. Women carried things to the river in

wooden big baskets, called chalupas. Afterward, they would rush home. They'd throw together a

quick dish that looked like the chalupas we know today.

Others say they are named after the Aztec boats, also called chalupas, which were used in the

ancient city of Tenochtitlan. Mexico City now stands where Tenochtitlan used to be.

3) Chiles En Nogada

This article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com.

Chiles en

nogada is

said to

have been

invented

by nuns

for

Agustín de Iturbide's visit to Puebla in 1821. Agustín

de Iturbide was Mexico's first emperor after Mexico

won independence from Spain. He was served chiles en nogada in Puebla after signing the Treaty

of Cordoba. This treaty gave Mexico its independence.

The dish has the colors of the Mexican flag, which are red, white and green. The sweet, savory,

picadillo stuffed poblano pepper is dipped in egg batter. Then it gets fried and topped with a rich

walnut sauce, pomegranate seeds and parsley. Chiles en nogada is one of Puebla's most beloved

dishes.

This article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com.

Quiz

1 Which answer choice BEST describes the overall structure of the article?

(A) a cause, then an effect

(B) a story, then events in order

(C) historical background, then a list

(D) scientific study, then a comparison

2 Read the first four paragraphs of the article.

What is the BEST way to describe the structure of these paragraphs?

(A) comparison

(B) list of events

(C) cause and effect

(D) problem and solution

3 Read the section "1) Mole Poblano."

Which sentence from the section BEST explains WHY some people do NOT feel confident about making mole?

(A) Mole poblano may be the most popular dish in Puebla for Cinco de Mayo.

(B) Whichever story you believe, mole is a sauce made from ground-up ingredients.

(C) The thick dark mole poblano may be most popular around the world.

(D) It has a long list of ingredients, and some need to be carefully roasted and toasted.

4 Read the paragraph from the section "Traditional Mexican Food Served."

Many say that Puebla is the food center of Mexico. In ancient times, Puebla was already acooking capital. The sacred town of Cholula in the region is known for its great ancient pyramid.In old times, food vendors would set up outside the pyramid. They would feed those who came toworship.

Which sentence BEST supports the idea that there was a relationship between religious practices and food?

(A) Many say that Puebla is the food center of Mexico.

(B) In ancient times, Puebla was already a cooking capital.

(C) The sacred town of Cholula in the region is known for its great ancient pyramid.

(D) They would feed those who came to worship.