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May 05, 2010

Cinco de Mayo

Most people don't know that back in 1912 Hellmann's mayonnaise was manufactured in England. In fact, the Titanic was carrying 12,000 jars of the condiment scheduled for delivery in Vera Cruz, Mexico, which was to be the next port of call for the great ship after its stop in New York.

This would have been the largest single shipment of mayonnaise ever delivered to Mexico. But as we know, the great ship did not make it to New York. The ship hit an iceberg and sank, and the cargo was forever lost.

The people of Mexico, who were crazy about mayonnaise, and were eagerly awaiting its delivery, were disconsolate at the loss.

Their anguish was so great, that they declared a National Day of Mourning, which they still observe to this day. The National Day of Mourning occurs each year on May 5th and is known, of course, as Sinko de Mayo!!

Do you believe it? Hah! Someone sent this to me in an email. It made me laugh so I decided to share it here.

Growing up in southern California, I learned to use tortillas to scoop food instead of a fork. I was farmed out often to spend a few days here and a week there with people willing to take me. So I learned many different customs and stayed with families of various nationalities and customs. I can still remember the first time a wonderful Mexican family showed me at their dinner table how to eat rice and beans with the tortilla. I was probably four years old. When I got older, Cinco de Mayo was celebrated in a big way throughout southern California. I am not living there now, but I bring the traditions with me to the mid west and enjoy them in our little hippie house in a happy way.

Feliz Cinco de Mayo, todos!!

40 comments:

Debby@Just Breathe said...

I was reading it and believing you.
You got me!

Ms. A said...

Funny!

Rock Chef said...

Very good! I will have to share that around!

Opaque said...

O k a y!

Anonymous said...

I started to have visions of Mexicans running around throwing mayo at each other... and rejoicing in its, well, mayo-ness!!

Brian Miller said...

so what day is cinco de mayo? lol. i could believe it espon a tomato sandwich...mmm...have a wonderful day!

Hilary said...

I felt that punchline coming. Sounds like fond cinco memories. Happy Cinco de Mayo to you. :)

Betty W said...

haha, I knew this couldn´t be true! But it was funny. :)

DJan said...

Cute little story! I am busy digging my tongue out of my cheek, where it went as soon as I started this one. Good job with the telling of it, and I'm still smiling. :-)

Charlie said...

I think the mayo would have been an interesting addition to the movie.

LL Cool Joe said...

Gotta say you didn't have me fooled! That's a first! :D

Enchanted Oak said...

Thanks for a chuckle on Sinko de Mayo. My hubby eats his beans and rice with a tortilla scoop. I like my fork.

Kazzy said...

OK, you had me for awhile there!

-Don said...

What a fun post. Have a great Cinco de Mayo.

-Don

Sassy Pants Freckle Face said...

ha ha har,....

Big Dave T said...

I've heard that joke before but since I have the memory of an amoeba at my age, I was able to enjoy it again.

Whatever happened to Chi Chi's? That used to be our favorite Mexican restaurant around here. I think it's gone the way of Taco Bell's chihuahua.

Kristina P. said...

You are too funny.

Liz Mays said...

That's really cool! My son was telling me at work that his coworkers use tortillas for everything at lunch. Now I get it!

Ronda Laveen said...

This is so stinkin' funny! I was imagining treasure hunters searching for vintage mayo jars on the ocean floor. Sunken treasure.

I'm in Cali and will celebrate here for you. I see guacamole in my future.

Nezzy (Cow Patty Surprise) said...

Ya sucked this gullible chick right in. I'm thinkin' I've never heard this before and then ya smacked me with sinko de mayo and cracked me up! Heeehehehe....thanks!!!

Ya'll have a wonderfully blessed day!!!

Vinny "Bond" Marini said...

LOL great story....

Enjoy the day

Bill Lisleman said...

You had me going. I know about the battle with the French but was thinking how does mayo fit into this.

They used Sinko de Mayo for the big drop in the stock market yesterday.

Jeanie said...

Lots of Cinco de Mayo celebrating around the Denver area. It will be a long, loud night in some parts of town. I hadn't heard your very funny "story", but I did have to look up the history of Cinco do May a while back. Tenga un gran Cinco de Mayonesa.

Kathy M. said...

Oh my gosh. You really had me going! Sinko de Mayo! That's too funny.

I live in the Southwest, so I'm still surrounded by the culture of Mexico, which we will be celebrating tonight with posole, which I will make from scratch and eat with a tortilla....

Happy Sinko!

Ina in Alaska said...

You got me too! Also my office mates when I shared your story!! That was hilarious! PS I love Hellman's mayo--it is called Best Foods up here but it is the same mayo! xoxo

Tess Kincaid said...

Too funny! Happy Cinco!

Anonymous said...

I just ate some tacos today! lol

My friends calls Cinco de Mayo a "Mexican Drinking Holiday" cause he says everyone uses it as an excuse to drink up some beers. I'm like what! Naa, people drink up no matter what day it is. lol

Gledwood said...

Out of interest, do you have Colman's mustard, another famous English condiment, in the USA?

Wishing you a feliz cinquo de mayo, too!

Jen said...

That was cute. Now I'm craving tortillas.

secret agent woman said...

Ooh. I grew up on that brand of mayonaisse.

LadyFi said...

Love that funny story!

And hurray for different cultures and traditions. It makes the world so much richer and more interesting...

stinkypaw said...

Cute story, thank you for that!

Robert the Skeptic said...

I wouldn't eat mustard as a kid because my mom always referred to it as "Poupon". As in, "Bobby, do you want a little Poupon your hot dog?"

Unknown said...

you almost almost started to have me.
I saw the Titanic Exhibition in the spring , in NYC, and immediately started trying to remember if I'd noticed mayo jars.

Casey Freeland said...

When I was growing up, a Mexican family lived in the lot next to ours. My sister called me the yesterday because she was remembering how we would go over to their house and they would make fresh flour tortillas and share them with us with just butter and salt. So good. Thanks for sharing this. Great post... And joke too.

Cheers,

Casey

Claudya Martinez said...

This totally goes with my Cinco de Mayo post and I'd never heard it before. I love it!!!

Okay, I'm not sobbing anymore from the last post I read because now I'm laughing.

Julie said...

Funny! I know what you mean about enjoying different customs and cultures. It's what makes the world so awesome. Thanks for the laugh!

Cheryl said...

I love it.

Mrs4444 said...

That's really funny :) What's not funny is that my mom makes the nastiest homemade mayonnaise. [shudders]

MikeWJ at Too Many Mornings said...

I hate you. Why? Because I totally fell for that lame joke. Why? Because here in Colorado, at least, a favorite Mexican treat is a roasted ear of corn smothered in mayonnaise and sprinkled with red chile pepper. It's one of the most delicious things you'll ever eat, and so the story seemed true to me. I'm such a sucker. :)