A post in two parts:
The Sour:
Did I really hear three separate intelligent adults ask over the course of last week "what day is Cinco de Mayo?" Maybe you don't know Spanish. But trust me, you don't need a translator. You only need to have either:
1. attended college. You will know Cinco de Mayo and its correlated festivities like you know your name after your freshman year.
2. Live anywhere near a bar because it seems it is the duty of every bar to celebrate Cinco de Mayo. Even at Heinrich's Hofbrau Fetszelt.
3. Drive by any bar any time during the week prior to Cinco de Mayo. They even make it easy on those passing by because they have giant signs indicating: Cinco de Mayo Fiesta! HERE on MAY 5!
The first and second time I heard someone ask, I thought they just forgot that Cinco de Mayo is May 5. The third time, I thought oh heaven help us BUT for the benefit of the doubt I considered perhaps this person meant the actual day of the week.
Me: Do you mean what day of the week?
Him: No, the actual date
Me: ummmm, I think it's on the 10th.
Him: I don't think so. I think cinco means five.
Me: Tell me all about it Juan Ponce de Leon.
For everyone celebrating with a cool tangy margarita treat-a, some chips and salsa, a refreshing Pacifio, or just simply wearing a sombrero to celebrate the long ago day in history the Mexican Army beat the French at the Battle of Puebla (It is not Mexico's Independence Day by the way) please enjoy.
The Sweet:
When you make this cake, or lure someone with all kinds of frisky favors to make it for you, and then you want to immediately sit down and compose a sonnet to forever capture your feelings of love and chocolate passion, don't pen that ode to me. This is my Aunt Shelley's recipe. I don't typically post recipes middle of the blog week but this is one of my all-time favorite tributes of goodness. And JohnnyMac, who doesn't really dig sweets, once saw me packing this up after a party for one of our friends and he immediately lured me (with all kinds of frisky favors) to give away very little and save the rest for him. It. is. THAT. GOOD.
Happy Cinco de Mayo friends!
Mexican Chocolate Cake:
Ingredients:
1 stick butter (no one said light or fat-free did they?)
1/2 cup oil ( I use canola)
2 squares unsweetened chocolate
1 cup water
2 cups unsifted all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup buttermilk (*you can make your own, see below)
2 eggs
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla
Put butter and chocolate in saucepan over medium low heat until completely melted. Cool by adding oil and water. Put all other ingredients in mixing bowl and slowly incorporate the melted chocolate mixture until well blended. Pour into a greased 11 x 15 pan (you can use a lipped cookie sheet) and bake for 20-25 minutes at 350 degrees. While cake is still warm top with:
Mexican Chocolate Cake Icing:
1 stick butter (don't worry about it!)
2 squares unsweetened chocolate
6 Tbl milk
1 lb powdered sugar.
1 tsp vanilla
Put butter and chocolate in saucepan until completely melted. Remove from heat and add milk, vanilla, and powdered sugar. Use handmixer until completely smooth.
Note: the batter and icing are not stiff.
Note 2: when my Aunt makes this cake, she uses all buttermilk and no water
Note 3: I have added cinnamon to the icing as well. And I have added a dash of cayenne pepper to the batter before too. Mmmmm...spicy and fantastic.
* if you don't have buttermilk, add 1/2 T of lemon juice or vinegar to 1/2 c. of milk. Let stand for a few minutes and then proceed.
