Hostess Melissa McGuire serves guests Coby Arzola, Natasha Vincent and Robyn Sampson.
Food & Wine
A Fiery Fiesta
Toss a red-hot Cinco de Mayo party in your home with colorful décor, spicy foods and lots of fun.
BY
Matt Sorrell
PHOTOGRAPHY
Greg Rannells


Roasted poblano guacamole on blue corn tostadas were festively prepared and displayed by Chef Vincent Anderson.


Doubling as festive table runners, brightly colored serapes establish the theme.


Themed accessories from Gringo Jones and accent pieces from Accessories by Appointment decorate the table with color and fill the room with a whimsical, festive flair.


Pistachio & coconut flan
Americans have always been good at accepting and assimilating the traditions of other nations – we are the great melting pot after all. Case in point: Cinco de Mayo. Originally commemorating Mexico’s defeat of France on May 5, 1862, at the Battle of Puebla, this south-of-the-border tradition has been adopted by many in the United States as an opportunity to celebrate all things Mexican and to delight in plenty of good food and drink.

Cinco de Mayo festivities are becoming so popular, in fact, that it’s getting hard to find a place to celebrate. Just try and nab a parking space in the vicinity of any Mexican-themed eatery on May 5, or find a seat at the bar. Why not skip the crowds altogether and do what hostess Melissa McGuire did? Bring the fiesta to your house.

Melissa is a prolific party host, and theme parties are a favorite, so a Cinco de Mayo celebration was right in her comfort zone. She enlisted the help of designer Jill Bolzenius of Accessories by Appointment and Chef Vincent Anderson of Agave Mexican Table & Tequileria to make this party come alive.

The most vital part of the décor for a Cinco de Mayo party is color. Jill used brightly striped serapes as table runners and included colorful details like clay roosters as centerpieces. Melissa likes to make a lot of her own decorations and invitations to add a unique and personal touch. Her rule is, “No balloons and no paper streamers!” Fresh flowers are also a must-have item, according to Melissa, so Jill used small sunflowers to add color and texture to the table, and tiny potted cacti served as place cards and were unique parting gifts.

Food and drink must also fit the theme. Tortilla chips and picante sauce might work, but how about raising the bar a bit? Among his many creations for Melissa’s soiree, Chef Vincent provided a unique take on the old chips and salsa tradition with his roasted poblano guacamole on blue corn tostadas.

 Melissa advises aspiring hosts to have plenty of food to go around and a wide array to satisfy those picky eaters. Coby Arzola, owner of Agave, says Mexican food fits the bill perfectly on both counts. “Mexican culture is very group-oriented,” he says, be it Sunday dinner with the family or a national celebration, there’s always plenty of food, and something for every taste.

Melissa also likes having a signature drink at her parties – it’s fun for the host to fit a drink with the theme, and it allows guests to try something new. For her Cinco de Mayo drink, she chose a Tamarind Margarita with red chile and lime salt.

Of course, no party is complete without a soundtrack. Melissa says good music that enhances the theme is paramount. Creating a playlist online and downloading it to an mp3 player is a fast and easy way to go. She says in the right setting, a good disc jockey or live performer, like a strolling guitarist, spices up the evening.

Finally, no matter what the theme, Melissa believes that the key to a successful party is to put the focus on the guests and take a personal interest in each of them.





Cinco de Mayo Menu
From Chef Vincent Anderson of
Agave Mexican Table & Tequileria
•    Roasted poblano guacamole on blue corn tostadas
•    Chile-spiced fruit skewers
•    Bacon-wrapped prawns stuffed with Mexican chorizo & Manchego cheese
•    Ceviche on the half shell
•    Pistachio & coconut flan
•    Tamarind Margarita with red chile & lime salt




Party Tips from the Hostess
•    Plan the logistics. To eliminate potential neighborhood parking issues, have guests leave their cars at a park or a public lot, and arrange to have them shuttled to the party. And of course, always insist on designated drivers.
•    Take plenty of pictures and e-mail them to guests as a remembrance.
•    Fresh flowers or cactus plants always enhance the ambience, and flowers can be put in unique vases and sent home with guests as a gift.
•    Create a signature playlist for your party’s theme. Melissa’s mix included “Santa Maria” by Gotan Project, from the “Shall We Dance” soundtrack; “La Bamba” by Wyclef Jean, a mellow take on the original; selections from the three-volume “Mexican Divas” set, which Melissa found on a recent trip to Rivera Maya; and lots of Enrique Iglesias, Shakira and Santana!