Viva Mexico!! This Thursday is Cinco De Mayo and at Special Occasions we believe that any holiday is a reason to entertain your friends and family at home. Here are some fun ideas for hosting a festive Cinco De Mayo party . . . Enjoy!
Guac-Off
Who doesn’t love a little competition?! A Guac-Off is the perfect way to get everyone to try a different guacamole recipe. You can create mini prep stations complete with molcajetes and ask your friends to bring their ingredients so they can prepare their guacamole fresh at the party. First place gets to take a molcajete home and the runner-up gets an avocado knife.
Loteria
Loteria is the Mexican version of Bingo! Using images on cards instead of numbered ping pong balls and pinto beans as markers, the first player to complete their sheet, otherwise known as tabla, shouts “Loteria” and is the winner. The winner of the game (you can also do multiple rounds to make it more competitive) gets to take home a bottle of tequila- one of our favorites is Don Julio.
Red Chile Guava Margarita
Have a unique specialty drink . . . we love this recipe from Public Restaurant in NYC.
Ingredients
2 1/2 cups Chile-Infused Tequila
1 1/2 cups Triple Sec
1 1/2 cups guava nectar
1 cup fresh orange juice
1 1/2 cups fresh lime juice
10 lime wedges
Salt, for rimming the glasses
Ice
10 small red chiles, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
Combine tequila, Triple Sec, guava nectar, orange juice, and lime juice in a pitcher and reserve in the refrigerator until ready to use. Make sure you make this a couple of days in advance so you get that spicy kick!
To serve, rim a rocks glass with salt by rubbing a lime wedge around the outside and then dipping the glass in salt. Fill the glass with ice, add the margarita mixture, and garnish with a skewered chile pepper (if using).
Piñata
After the bellies are full and the drinks are flowing it’s time to bring out the piñata! There are a lot of different designs to choose from. Once you pick a piñata you can fill it with Mexican candy, little bottles of tequila, powdered margarita mix, packs of salt, Advil, and Alka Seltzer. Guests will have fun making their own hangover kits from what’s inside!
(This Don Julio piñata is from our "Hacienda Night" rehearsal dinner event recently featured in Martha Stewart Weddings)
You can find most of the items and ingredients we mentioned at Latino supermarkets. Vallarata Supermarkets and Superior Grocers have several locations throughout Los Angeles.