Celebrating Cinco de Mayo

With Cinco de Mayo approaching, Music again plays a big part in the celebrations and festivities!  We have prepared a special selection of instruments that will be just perfect for your Fiestas!  Because Cinco de Mayo commemorates the Mexican Army's 1862 victory over France (Not Indendence Day, which is a common misconception.  That actually occurred over 50 years earlier on September 16th.)  Mexican Mariachi music is usually the first style that comes to mind. No Mariachi Band would be complete without Violins, Guitars, Vihuelas (guitar with a rounded back, sometimes referred to as a Lute), Harps and Trumpets.  Most everyone has heard "La Cucaracha" and while listening you can probably picture the musicians in their silver studded charro outfits and wide brimmed hats! As Cinco de Mayo Celebrations have gained in popularity both in the United States and abroad as a great reason to throw a party with themed decorations, food and drinks, various other types of Mexican music have also started topping the charts.  Nothing gets a party started like Chips and Salsa . . . and Salsa Music!!  Whether you're musically inclined, or not so much, anyone can shake their Maracas!! These percussion instruments come in a great variety of colors and sizes.  Did you know that the amount of pebbles in a maraca is traditionally an uneven number to create a distinct sound?  How 'bout giving a Guiro a try?!  This percussion instrument started as a dried gourd with ridges on the surface of the shell to provide a rough place to rake a wooden stick across.  How 'bout a Ceramic Ocarina; we have one that's a necklace! So hang your pinatas, whip up a batch of guacamole, put on your sombrero, make sure the blender is full of refreshing Frozen Lemon-Berry Margaritas (Recipe Below), break out your Cinco de Mayo Instruments and lets....Get This Party Started! Ole! Frozen Lemon-Berry Margaritas Recipe Prep/Total Time: 15 min. Yield: 4 Servings 1515 Ingredients 4 lime wedges 2 tablespoons coarse sugar 2/3 cup thawed lemonade concentrate 1 cup frozen unsweetened raspberries 2 cups ice cubes 2 packages (10 ounces each) frozen sweetened sliced strawberries, thawed 1/2 cup frozen blueberries 1 tablespoon sugar 1/2 cup tequila, optional Directions Using lime wedges, moisten the rims of four margarita or cocktail glasses. Set aside limes for garnish. Sprinkle coarse sugar on a plate; hold each glass upside down and dip rim into sugar. Set aside. Discard remaining sugar on plate. In a blender, combine the lemonade concentrate and raspberries; cover and process until blended. Press mixture through a fine sieve; discard seeds. Return raspberry mixture to blender; add the ice, strawberries, blueberries, sugar and tequila if desired. Cover and process until smooth. Pour into prepared glasses. Garnish with reserved limes. Yield: 4 servings. Nutritional Facts1 cup (calculated without tequila) equals 271 calories, trace fat (trace saturated fat), 0 cholesterol, 6 mg sodium, 71 g carbohydrate, 4 g fiber, 1 g protein.