With Cinco de Mayo just around the corner, we thought this would be the perfect time to shed some light on Mexican cuisine that goes beyond tacos, nachos and burritos.

This week, the Mexican restaurant Pujol was chosen by Restaurant Magazine as one of the world's 50 best restaurants, landing in 17th place.

In 2011, Pujol placed 49th and in 2012, 36th. This is the first time Pujol broke the top 20 on an international best restaurant list.

Chef and owner Enrique Olvera's culinary technique is described as both ancient and modern, all while using local ingredients.
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Kate Krader (@kkrader on Twitter) is Food & Wine's restaurant editor. When she tells us where to find our culinary heart's desire, we listen up.

For those with a big commitment to Cinco de Mayo, the question is this: Do you wait for Sunday, the actual holiday, to start the celebration, or should you begin Saturday, the cuatro de Mayo?

Tough question that you’ll have to answer yourself. What I’ve got are seven places around the country where you can find a phenomenal margarita and plenty of tequila to toast the holiday, whenever you start the party.
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Kate Krader (@kkrader on Twitter) is Food & Wine's restaurant editor. When she tells us where to find our culinary heart's desire, we listen up.

Maybe this is a good year to celebrate Cinco de Mayo according to a theme. You could a) practice your Spanish and say, “Feliz dia de la Batalla de Puebla,” or “Happy day of the Battle of Puebla,” to everyone you see. You could b) practice your history lessons and note that Cinco de Mayo is not Mexican Independence Day; it’s the day in 1862 that the underdog Mexican army defeated the invading French army. Or you could c) practice your drinking and see how many crazy margaritas you can find and consume. Let’s go with the third option:
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Chefs with Issues is a platform for chefs and farmers we love, fired up for causes about which they're passionate. Patricia Jinich is chef at the Mexican Cultural Institute. She also hosts "Pati’s Mexican Table" on National Public Television and blogs at Pati's Mexican Table.

I was born and raised in Mexico City, in a family where every taco happens to be, as my dad boasts, “the best taco you’ve ever had in your entire life." That is, until you eat the next one.

Living in the US, I am often dismayed at how my home country is portrayed in the media. For some, it’s easy to just write off the entire country as dangerous and riddled with cartel violence. As a former political analyst, I am not in denial about the hurdles my country faces, but the Mexico illustrated in some news reports is certainly not the Mexico I know and love - nor is it the Mexico experienced by the 22.67 million international tourists that visited last year.

Cooking, eating and sharing Mexican food has helped me and my Mexican-American boys connect with our heritage. Plus, I truly believe that its warm, generous, colorful cuisine has the power to make Americans fall in love with Mexico - one bite at a time.
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5@5 is a daily, food-related list from chefs, writers, political pundits, musicians, actors, and all manner of opinionated people from around the globe.

There's no time for a siesta; Saturday is the big fiesta!

Kick off your Cinco de Mayo in style with Chef Josh Gentry of the Little Donkey restaurant in Homewood, Alabama.

Five Dishes and Cocktails You Need to Have at Your Fiesta: Josh Gentry
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The fifth of May is once again upon us; crunch time is on the horizon.

Contrary to what some people think, Cinco de Mayo is not Mexican Independence Day. It, instead, celebrates when a much smaller Mexican army defeated the French at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862.

Since then, Americans have loosely translated said victory into a celebration of Mexican culture - and an excuse to stuff themselves like a piñata with molcajetes of guacamole and pitcher after pitcher of ice-cold margaritas.

We're not going to argue with that translation - and are here to help.

Shake up your fiesta with a little help from our experts:
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In case you didn't know, today is Cinco de Mayo. We know, we know - we were shocked too.

Now that you have your un-schmancy margarita(s) all shook up and ready for guzzling sipping, it's time to rock the guac.

We're in the same camp of thought as Jason Berry of Rosa Mexicano, store-bought purées might as well be culinary desecration. Seriously, guacamole could not be easier to make - you just mash stuff together. If you have a little extra aggression, consider it delicious anger management without the therapy bill.

Still in need of a recipe? In a moment of housewife hospitality, Eva Longoria recently offered up her secrets to achieving the holiest of guacamoles.
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Resist the urge to bust out the blender or get all wackypants with with add-ins this Cinco de Mayo. The simple, unadulterated margarita is a symphony of tart, salt and kick - with nary a drop of sour mix in sight.
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5@5 is a daily, food-related list from chefs, writers, political pundits, musicians, actors, and all manner of opinionated people from around the globe.

With a little help from Jason Berry of Rosa Mexicano Restaurants, we want you to rock the guac out this Cinco de Mayo.

And we can think of no better way to celebrate Mexico's military victory over Napoleon III than with tequila.

Cinco Ways To Spice Up Your Cinco de Mayo Fiesta: Jason Berry
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