If you’re in the mood for tequila…

It’s your lucky day. Today is Cinco de Mayo, the anniversary of the battle of Puebla in 1862, when Mexican forces defeated the occupying French under Napoleon III. So the legend goes, the bulk of the fighting was done by simple Mexican farmers armed with nothing more than rakes and shovels. History has since revealed that regular Mexican military units were present in abundance, a fact which by no means diminishes the significance of the victory…though the French, it should be pointed out, went on to take over the country anyway. The Battle of Puebla was a huge morale booster for Mexico, and has since become emblematic of Mexican independence and resistance to outside influences. Giant, eight-foot-long Mexican flags will be protruding from the passenger windows of every beat up old Honda civic in our old Chicago neighborhood today. Viva México, Viva Juárez!