“Getaway,” a new cookbook by Seattle chef Renee Erickson, with Sara Dickerman, includes a recipe for Shrimp Cocktail With Tomato and Cilantro Oil, perfect for Cinco de Mayo celebrations. / Photo by Abrams/TNSThis looks like a good year for fans of Cinco de Mayo.
The May 5 holiday has traditionally been a profitable one for bars and restaurants, ranking even higher than Mother’s Day. Even in 2020, in the midst of the pandemic, Mexican restaurants saw a notable jump in sales; the Arkansas-based chain Tacos 4 Life reported an 87% increase in business compared with the previous week.
This year, the holiday doesn’t fall on a (Taco) Tuesday, like it did last year, but it does coincide with the lifting of restrictions in such places as New York City, where Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced that customers can once again sit at the bar.
Cinco de Mayo, the commemoration of a victory by the Mexican army over Napoleon III in 1862, is more popular in the U.S. than it is south of the border. Since there are no official dishes that accompany the holiday – although tacos and tequila invariably loom large – as with everything else in 2021, it’s a good year to rethink traditions.
A new cookbook from virtuoso Seattle chef Renee Erickson, “Getaway: Food & Drink To Transport You” (Abrams Books; $40), offers some inspiration. Plus it’s a timely read for everyone who is armchair dreaming of a food-centric destination.