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Photo: Tamales at Sabrosa
Contrary to popular belief, Cinco de Mayo is not Mexican Independence Day - that's September 16. Instead, Cinco de Mayo (Spanish for "the fifth of May") commemorates the Mexican Army's victory over the French Empire at the Battle of Puebla, on May 5, 1862. If you didn't ever know the French Empire ruled Mexico during part of the 1860s, you're not alone. It was the last time a foreign army invaded the Americas.
In Mexico, people get the day off, but the holiday is more widely celebrated in the United States, as a celebration of Mexican-American culture. Among immigrants to Illinois, people born in Mexico are by far the most numerous. 2.2% of Roscoe's population is Hispanic (about 200 people), compared to 5.3% Asian. To get in the Mexican mood, get some Mexican food, perhaps at Sabrosa Tex Mex Restaurant or Fiesta Cancun. And be thankful: if it weren't for Cinco de Mayo, we might be eating escargot or pâté de foie gras.
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