Setting the stage for a Cinco de Mayo Fiesta is easy, just ice down some Tecate beer, slice up lots of fresh limes, and call your friends.

You won't need to worry about providing sombreros for them to wear. By the end of the night, they'll find something stupid to put on their heads. Maracas will get annoying by the end of the night, so skip them if you don't have any, or hide them late in the night, if you do.

"But what about tequila?" you might ask. If you invite the right friends, they'll bring the tequila and you already have the limes, right? The correct pronunciation of tequila is, "To kill ya," for a good reason. Don't bother with all the marguerite mixes or Triple Sec stuff that people tend to use to ruin tequila, just lime juice and tequila is all it needs.

With all the alcohol, some food is a good idea. Salsa is now a more popular condiment than catsup; or ketchup, if you prefer. Salsa isn't really a condiment, though; it's an integral part of any Mexican Fiesta, along with tortilla chips. Guacamole adds some authentic Mexican flavor and texture. The best guacamole is just fresh, ripe avocadoes with lime juice. Are you seeing a pattern here? Limes are a critical part of a Mexican Fiesta, or any Mexican food or drink.

I love shrimp, which is the reason I go to Mexico, frequently. My favorite Fiesta food is peal-and-eat shrimp. Just boil up some shrimp with some limes in the water and ice it down; let your guests peal and eat the shrimp, this the name. You can boil red potatoes and corn-on-the-cob with the shrimp but don't ice down corn and potatoes, but squeezing some lime juice over them is a great idea.

Now you have a Fiesta, so call me and tell me when I should be there, with the tequila.

Learn more about this author, Will Kester.
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