Monday 5 May 2008

Cinco de Mayo!

Unexpected result of moving to the UK #254: I've become a Mexican nationalist.

Who knew that I could miss actual tortilla chips so much? Or that I would be deeply distressed that nobody was celebrating Cinco de Mayo with really cheap, completely inauthentic margaritas? Abby and I went to The Mission for burritos for lunch, and I had a fajita and carnitas burrito that I repeatedly tasted in burp form for the rest of the afternoon, but which was (as far as burritos go) nothing short of a masterpiece. (Did I eat the bottom of Abby's chicken and guacamole burrito with a fork, even though I was already sort of in the throw-up zone? Maybe I did, and MAYBE I DID.)

I remember a bunch of the Rhodes Scholars trying to recreate quesadillas and chips y salsa in a fit of nostalgia and basically pulling it off except for these weird, bastard Doritos that only approximated tortilla chips, and I felt a stirring of pride when R. Dave made tacos and Erika had the first taco of her life. It was like watching the miracle of birth, except it was cleaner and less terrifying. (At least, it was until the casserole dish we were using to heat the taco shells exploded on the stove, at which point it was basically a wash.)

That being said, there are two things wrong with this picture:



First of all, Cinco de Mayo is not celebrating Mexican independence, as Mexico celebrates its independence on September 16th. Secondly, I can't believe that you get a free burrito for dressing like a Mexican. I should have just pointed to my tee-shirt and been like, "um, you'll notice that this is green, which was the color of Che Guevara's freedom fighters when they ousted Napoleon at the Battle of San Juan Hill. You know, on Cinco de Mayo."

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