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Let’s go to Mexico this September. It’s bound to be an amazing party. September 16, 2010 marks 200 years of Mexican Independence from Spanish rule. Plenty of reason to celebrate.
Best to get there well in advance of the 16th. Lots of festivities, including special foods, live music and dancing in the streets, surround the holiday. Red, white and green flags wave from houses, cars and buildings.
Throughout Mexico, the cry of independence, known as the Grito de Dolores, will be heard at 11:00 pm on September 15th in nearly every plaza or zócalo. This tradition reenacts the moment in which Father Hidalgo gathered his followers in Dolores Hidalgo (in the Mexican state of Guanajuato) in 1810 and shouted “Viva Mexico!” This year President Calderon is expected to officiate the grito in Dolores Hidalgo.
The ceremonies reach the high point when the crowds join in and proudly shout out the names of the heroes of Independence. When the grito ceremony ends, fireworks light up the skies.
The following day, September 16, is Mexican Independence Day, a patriotic holiday or fiesta patria (literally, holiday of the Fatherland).
All month long celebratory food can be found in homes, restaurants and at street stalls where vendors offer traditional antojitos (or snacks), Mexican candies and ponche (punch) made from seasonal fruits. Special dishes including mole poblano, and our personal favorite, chiles en nogada (stuffed chiles with a creamy fresh walnut sauce) are offered in many restaurants.
In lieu of getting on an airplane, we’ll happily be making a batch of these stuffed chiles for friends. To ease the preparation, we’ll use a little Frontera salsa to season the filling and make a simple sauce of almonds and cream. The filling, cleaned chiles and sauce can be made a couple of days in advance. Simply heat the stuffed chiles and let the sauce come to room temperature shortly before serving.
For starters, we’ll serve sangrita (a zesty juice mixture) as they do in Mexico with a small glass of sipping tequila on the side. Bowls of guacamole, tortilla chips, cut vegetables and spicy salted nuts go perfectly with the cocktails.
For dessert, apple cider and Mexican caramel sauce (cajeta) create a spectacularly simple and delicious ice. Serve it with buttery shortbread. Your guest will surely celebrate. They may even shout with pleasure.
September Celebration Menu
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