Thursday, May 5, 2011

Fiddleheads & Cinco de Mayo

Marjorie just texted me to remind me that it's fiddlehead season -- she cooked some last night.

I saw some ferns unfolding in the garden the other day and thought of cooking up a batch, although I don't think anyone at home will eat them.

But tonight it's tomatillo salsa in honor of Cinco de Mayo -- an event whose meaning is lost on most (North) Americans. It seems to have become an excuse for a food and drink fiesta.

However, the day celebrates an 1862 Mexican victory over invading French troops, which came despite overwhelming odds. The French purportedly were coming to collect a debt after fiscally strapped  Mexico suspended repayments for two years. More on the history.

Some say the celebration commemorates those who are brave enough to fight against oppression. Maybe we'll discuss the history over the dinner table before we dig into the meal.

The inspiration for using tomatillos comes from Dorado restaurant in Brookline, where they serve a fantastic tomatillo-avocado salsa. And one of the great benefits of the Internet age is being able to search for recipes online then compare to see which appeals. This will be my first experience with tomatillos -- such a great looking fruit!

Served the salsa with grilled tuna, salad, brown rice and refried black beans.