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Septetmber 15th marks the beginning of Hispanic Heritage Month, with September 16th the day where Mexico's Day of Independence is celebrated. While many people associate Cinco de Mayo with Mexican Independence Day, this actually isn't the case.

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The recent Cinco de Mayo celebrations in San Jose have caused a stir due to the closure of exit ramps on Highway 101, Interstate 280, and Highway 87 through downtown. The closures prevented traffic from flowing into the downtown area during the festivities.

For most Americans, Cinco De Mayo is a day to drink tequila and margaritas and have a good time. In reality, it does have a special meaning. The website PBS.ORG does a great job of explaining the celebration of Cinco de Mayo. “Cinco de Mayo marks the anniversary of the 1862 victory by Mexican troops over invading French forces at the Battle of Puebla. The triumph over the better equipped and more numerous French troops was an enormous emotional boost for the Mexican soldiers led by Gen. Ignacio Zaragoza”.

The story of the development of Concord into what we know it as now goes back to when Concord was still untapped Mexican land. Concord’s story cannot be told without the Mexican settlers and explorers who first found, tended, and urbanized the land. For Cinco de Mayo, we want to tell you about the Mexican influences in creating the Concord we know now, a story that goes back almost 250 years.

Here in New Orleans, we never need a reason to celebrate but since today is Cinco De Mayo, that definitely calls for some delicious margaritas. A margarita is a simple cocktail that consists of tequila, triple sec and lime juice. Some margarita recipes will include simple syrup as well and are often served with salt, that is lined on the rim of the glass. Margaritas can be served either shaken with ice (on the rocks), without any ice (straight up) or blended with ice (frozen margarita) and served in its own margarita glass. The margarita is one of the world's most popular cocktails and is also the most popular cocktail made with tequila. In New Orleans, there are no shortage of bars and restaurants to get a good margarita, most notably the top 3 are Superior Grill, Velvet Cactus and Juan's Flying Burrito. But if you are in the mood to just make a good margarita at home, here is a very simple recipe not just for Cinco De Mayo but anytime.

Cinco de Mayo commemorates the Mexican army's victory in the Battle of Puebla in 1862. It became an American tradition to celebrate all things Mexicano as far back as 1863, right here in Southern California. So there's no better place than Los Angeles to have a big old fiesta with these 6 ideas for Cinco de Mayo in Los Angeles.

Summer is just around the corner, and what better way to enjoy the warm weather than with a refreshing and flavorful grilled tomato salsa? This salsa is perfect for those hot summer days when you want something light and easy to make, yet bursting with flavor. Whether you’re having a backyard barbecue, a picnic at the beach, or just a casual get-together with friends, this grilled tomato salsa is sure to be a hit.