The stars have aligned.
Today's Cinco de Mayo falls on Taco Tuesday.
It provides the ideal, double-whammy incentive to eat tacos and drink margaritas.
"Oh yes, that's why we're doing Cinco & Drink-o (today)," said Brynn, a shift supervisor at El Taquero Tacos & Tequila in Kelowna.
"We expect a lot of people. Everyone loves tacos for their mix-and-match convenience and deliciousness. And everyone loves a margarita, too."
That's why the Cinco & Drink-o special of 5 tacos and a margarita for $30 is not only a once-a-year deal, but also an awesome play on words.
Cinco de Mayo translates to 5th of May -- thus the 5 tacos -- and drink-o is a fun way to pull the margarita into the offer.
On Cinco de Mayo in 1862 a small Mexican army was able to fight off a larger troop of French invaders in the Battle of Puebla.
Thus, Cinco de Mayo became a Mexican holiday and has since spread worldwide as a celebration of Mexican culture, food, drink and mariachi music.
It helps that the taco and the margarita are globally loved.
The taco for its wide availability and bold and diverse flavours of a seasoned protein folded into soft or hard, corn or flour tortilla with toppings of onion, cilantro, lime, cheese, salsa and sour cream.
The margarita for its fresh-sweet-tart-salty blend of tequila, lime juice and orange liqueur in a salt-rimmed glass.
Speaking of the margarita, Tamm Mexican in Kelowna has a Taco Tuesday special of a margarita for $6.90 instead of the regular $12.
There are lots of other Mexican restaurants in Kelowna where you can go and get your Cinco de Mayo on -- Mucho Burritto, Chilango, Cantina de Centro, Hector's Casa, Hugo's Kitchen, Fiesta del Sol, Latin Fiesta, Salso and Saber, Charros Takos, Taco Delhi (Mexican-Indian fusion), Casa de Frida, Quesada, Taco Time and YLW Tacos.
Or, make your own tacos and mix up your own margaritas at home.
Be culinary and concoct your own taco seasoning of chili, garlic and onion powders, cumin, paprika, oregano, salt, pepper and cornstarch.
Or make it easy on yourself and buy a taco seasoning packet at the grocery store for $2.
Sautee your protein -- be it little strips or ground beef, pork, chicken or fish -- and add the taco seasoning.
Fold the seasoned meat into a warmed soft or hard, corn or flour tortilla and top with onion (fresh chopped or pickled), cilantro, cheese, salsa, sour cream and a squeeze of lime and you yourself a flavourful Mexi-feast.
Amp up the ambience by putting on some mariachi music and eating your tacos and drinking your margarita in the sunshine on the deck or patio.
Happy Cinco de Mayo.
