We Offer Dozens of Options to Satisfy Your Mexican Cravings

It’s time for another Cinco de Mayo, America’s annual ode to our friends south of the border. And no, it’s not Mexican Independence Day (September 16), as many Americans mistakenly believe. So what is it?

Many don’t realize it, but it’s actually not much of a big deal in Mexico. In fact, it’s mostly celebrated in just one state, Puebla, which is about two hours south of Mexico City, where it commemorates the anniversary of Mexico’s victory over the Second French Empire at the Battle of Puebla in 1862, led by General Ignacio Zaragoza.

In the U.S., it was originally recognized in the 1860s as a way to protest further European colonization in Latin America, and by the 1950s it was widely recognized by Mexican Americans as a way to celebrate their heritage and culture. During the 1980s, thanks to marketing campaigns by beer companies, it exploded in popularity across the entire United States, and today many of us mark it on our calendars as a good reason to have some fun, Mexican style –  whether it’s out on the town or in the comfort of our own homes. We can certainly help with the latter.

How to celebrate? With plenty of Mexican food and drink, of course! Here’s a quick shopping list to get you on your way:

FOOD

• Chips and salsa are a must-have, and you can’t go wrong with those we make in-house. Our Marketplace Corn Tortilla Chips provide the perfect taste and crunch for dipping into our perfectly seasoned salsa. In addition, we also carry a variety of brands, including such local names as Garden Fresh, Detroit Salsa Company, Missy Mel’s and Ann Arbor Tortilla Factory.

Our Nino’s homemade chips and salsa provide the classic Mexican party snack.

• Guacamole is another must-have option. We make our own, in addition to carrying the best quality produce for making it at home – avocado, onion, cilantro, tomatoes and so much more!
• Nino’s Chicken Tortilla Soup. Made fresh daily and perfect any day of the week, any season of the year.

Our Chicken Tortilla Soup is made fresh daily.

• Gourmet to Go … make life easy by picking up our pre-cooked options that you can take home and have ready to eat in minutes. We’ll have plenty available at the counter, including our Nino’s Taco Beef, Beef Enchiladas, Chicken Chimichangas, our new Chicken Verde and Chicken Rojo.
• We also carry plenty of rice options, and those delicious refried beans from La Preferida, a Chicago company offering the best quality Mexican foods since 1949.
• Tortillas? Whether you prefer flour or corn, we carry such brands as Mission, La Tortilla Factory, La Azteca and Tumaros.
• Finally, hot sauces! Gotta throw those in the mix. You’ll find a great variety on our shelves, including Hell Fire Detroit, Siete, Cholula and La Victoria.

Our Gourmet to Go program offers plenty of tasty Mexican dishes that you easily take home and quickly reheat.

DRINKS

• Tequila! Gotta have at least one shot (feel free to sip), and what Cinco de Mayo would be complete without a good margarita? In our Troy, Clinton Township and Bloomfield Township stores, you’ll find the big brands, like Jose Cuervo and Don Julio, as well as to some nice craft option.
• An alternative to Tequila is to try some Mezcal, another agave-based spirit. It’s consumption is up 35% over the past few years, and as a group of agave-based spirits, Tequila and Mezcal have surpassed Whiskey as the second most popular spirits in the U.S. … and they are expected to overtake Vodka soon. If you’ve never tried it, it’s basically Tequila, but with a smokey flavor.
• Next we turn to one of our favorite local brands, Blakes. Their El Chavo Habanero and Mango Hard Cider is a sweet and mildly spicy delight that is a sure winner at any Cinco de Mayo celebration.

Blake’s El Chavo Mango & Habanero Cider is a sweet and spicy delight!

• For beer selections, you can certainly go with Corona or Modelo, but we also recommend an option from local brewer, Griffin Claw. Their El Ligero is a Mexican-influenced lager that is light in body and super crisp, with a nice fresh lime flavor that’s not too overpowering or fruity.

El Ligero, from local brewer, Griffin Claw, is Mexican-inspired lager brewed with lime.

In addition to El Ligero, you’ll find two cocktail options from our beverage manager, Simone, by clicking HERE.

These are just some of the many options that you can consider for Cinco de Mayo. Obviously, we always have our award-winning fresh produce, providing plenty of jalepeños, habaneros, onions, tomatillo, corn, mango, papaya and so much more. Thus, come by and start shopping for everything you need to make your Cinco de Mayo celebration one to remember!

CLICK HERE FOR 45 MEXICAN PARTY DISHES, FROM DELISH