A Blog by the Editor of The Middle East Journal

Putting Middle Eastern Events in Cultural and Historical Context

Wednesday, May 5, 2010

Trying to Find Avocados for Cinco de Mayo in Abu Dhabi

Happy Cinco de Mayo to all you non-Mexicans who use it an excuse (as if one were necessary) to drink Dos Equis and eat enchiladas. Here's an article in The National about the problems of making real guacamole in Abu Dhabi, where avocados can be in short supply (they import them from Kenya), among other things related to Mexican food in the Gulf. The article notes, correctly, that Cinco de Mayo tends to be partied heartier outside Mexico than at home, where September 16 (Independence Day) is bigger, so I'll wish Mexican readers an early independence day instead. (Saint Patrick's Day in Ireland is somewhat parallel: people go to church in Ireland while in Chicago they're dyeing the river green. And the Irish Prime Minister never gets to be at home on the saint's day since he traditionally visits the US President then.)

Anyway, I thought the guacamole shortage in Abu Dhabi was appropriate for today. I'll be at this event through the morning, so posting's likely to be thin till later.

¡But at least I found a Middle East link for Cinco de Mayo!

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