Cinco de Mayo has evolved to become an important celebration of Mexican culture in the United States, now more widely celebrated here than in Mexico. If you are looking to host a few friends to celebrate, why not begin with the basics and invite your friends and family to bring the rest? Maybe even prepare main dishes together? Or cater some from an authentic Mexican restaurant? Once the weather warms up, the combination of a classic margarita paired with guacamole and chips can’t be beat. If you haven’t tried making either of these from scratch before, I promise you will be hooked once you try them. Here are two of my favorite recipes to get your party started. Cheers!

Classic Margarita Recipe

Ingredients:

• Ice cubes

• 1 1/2 ounces good tequila (I used Casamigos)

• 1 1/2 ounces orange liqueur (Cointreau, Grand Marnier, or Patron Citronge) (I used Patron’s)

• 1 1/2 ounces freshly squeezed lime juice

• Lime wedges

• Coarse salt for rimming glass

Directions:

• Shake all ingredients with ice until chilled

• Run the lime along the rim of the glass and dip into salt

• Fill glass with ice and strain ingredients from shaker

• Garnish with lime

Guacamole Recipe

Ingredients:

• 4 Haas avocados, pitted

• 1 medium tomato, seeded and diced

• 1/4-1/2 cup diced red onion (to taste)

• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

• juice of 1 lime or lemon (to taste)

• Tabasco sauce ( a few dashes to taste)

• Kosher salt (to taste)

• Fresh ground pepper (to taste)

• 1 1/2 jalapeños (ribbed and seeded if desired, minced) *optional

• Good quality tortilla chips

Directions:

• Cut the avocados in half, remove the pits and scoop out into a bowl

• Add the lime or lemon juice

• Smash avocados with a fork until broken down

• Add the tomato, onion, cilantro, tabasco, salt & pepper

• Taste before adding any more spice as needed

• Serve with your favorite chips from a local merchant (I love Pasqual’s !)