"Cinco de Mayo" pays tribute to the battle of Puebla fought in 1862, an event that helped unite the Mexican people against the invading French army and it’s become a day to celebrate freedom and liberty.

If you do plan to party -- "Guacamole is a must" for any authentic "Cinco de Mayo" celebration, laughs Chef Felix Salcedo, executive chef for the Restaurant Business Inc. family of restaurants (www.restaurantbusinessinc.com) including the historic El Cholo Café and El Cholo Cantina in Los Angeles and The Cannery Restaurant of Newport Beach. At El Cholo, Salcedo’s crew prepares two versions of the popular AVOCADO dip, a smooth one prepared tableside, and a second chopped version called AVOCADO relish, including RED ONIONS, LEMON juice and CHILES for added flavor.

"People tend to drink more for this holiday" admits Chef Felix, "so I recommend planning your "Cinco" party around plenty of finger foods – taquitos, nachos, quesadillas, carnitas, CHILE rellenos and mini tamales."

"At the restaurants, we serve pico de gallo (diced ONIONS, TOMATOES, CILANTRO, LEMON juice, salt and pepper) as a plate garnish, with Salsa Roja and Salsa Verde as dips for picking up with some CORN chips."

Chef Felix suggests incorporating the colors of the Mexican flag – red, green and white – into your party décor, using complementary colored napkins and fresh flowers for added flair.

"This day is all about being as festive as possible. We use fresh FRUIT to create our margaritas – everything from STRAWBERRIES and COCONUT to BLACKBERRIES and WATERMELON, which has become one of our customer favorites. But you can make any of these versions non-alcoholic as well. At our restaurants, our FRUIT punch, basically a LEMONade served with lots of cut FRUIT and cinnamon, is very popular."

To round out any "Cinco de Mayo!" celebration, Chef Felix suggests chocolate cake served with MINT, RASBPERRY and KIWIFRUIT sauce and cream freshe; white chocolate flan; or bread pudding with MANGO-KIWI garnish.

Excellent values continue on the spring crop of California STRAWBERRIES, great for dipping in melted chocolate or slicing atop shortcake with whipped cream as a dessert.

Prices continue to be very reasonable on RED FLAME SEEDLESS GRAPES, a great low-calorie snack option.

VALENCIA ORANGES, great for juicing, are among the best picks in the CITRUS FRUIT bin this week.

RUBY RED GRAPEFRUIT are also an excellent value. Serve sections with RED ONION RINGS and AVOCADO slices with a splash of balsamic vinegar as a salad course.

D’ANJOU PEARS are a terrific fiber-rich FRUIT choice this week, in steady supply with prices decreasing. Enjoy them as an out of hand snack or peel and cook until tender and serve warm with a vanilla or RASPBERRY sauce.

PINEAPPLE from Hawaii is holding steady at reasonable prices. Dice finely and toss with cooked white rice, whipped cream, diced MELON and toasted COCONUT for a delicious dessert.

KIWIFRUIT, rich in Vitamin C, continues plentiful at economical prices.

RED DELICIOUS APPLES and tart GRANNY SMITH are the best values in the APPLE category this week, the former for snacking, the latter for baking.

Luscious MANGOS are plentiful at very economical prices. Blend ripe FRUIT with frozen yogurt and your favorite BERRY variety for a refreshing beverage.

BANANAS are steady in volume at moderate prices, with PLANTAINS a tasty side dish option, grilled, steamed or fried.

Seeded WATERMELON is plentiful at economical prices.

ZUCCHINI is among this week’s most plentiful and economical VEGETABLE values. Core and stuff with seasoned VEGETABLES or ground beef and TOMATO sauce, bake and enjoy.

RUSSET POTATOES are steady in volume at very reasonable prices. Most popular for oven baking, they can also be cut into strips and served French fried with a GARLIC or HERB seasoning.

GARNET YAMS, high in vitamin B for quick energy, are in plentiful supply at moderate prices. Bake or microwave and serve with butter and salt or a bit of maple syrup.

ICEBERG LETTUCE and GREEN CABBAGE are among this week’s best values for salad courses.

Salad toppings in plentiful supply include CARROTS, JICAMA, CELERY, MUSHROOMS, RADISHES, GREEN ONIONS and CUCUMBERS.

Prices are decreasing on GREEN BEANS. Steam and serve atop brown rice with grilled shrimp for a quick meal.

ARTICHOKES are in good supply from the Castroville growing region.

ASPARAGUS is another good side dish pick this week, with volume steady at moderate prices. Steam and serve with LEMON butter sauce and chopped PECANS.

GARLIC is plentiful, a delicious addition to spring salad dressings.

Check out the FLORAL department for good values on hanging baskets of IVY and FERNS along with potted DIFFENBACHIA and other non-blooming green plants, which serve to refresh indoor air quality. In cut arrangements, ALSTROMERIA LILIES, MUMS, DAISIES and SNAPDRAGONS are in plentiful supply.

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