"OH MAYO!" Catering a Mexican Fiesta

Personally, I love Mexican food, I always have. It's not just the flavor I love, it's the comfort feeling that tags a long...warm, relaxed, and colorful. When a event comes a long with an opportunity to put a Mexican theme to it, I don't just want to serve authentic dishes, I want guests to feel the party too.

Cinco De Mayo is a good reason for a fiesta, but don't stop there! Affordable ingredients, ease of preparation and wide crowd appeal makes Mexican dishes an excellent choice for entertaining year round. A Mexican menu can be as simple as tacos, beans and rice or can have the addition of favorites like; Enchiladas, Tamales, Taquitos or Quesadillas. When made with simple fresh ingredients any Latin inspired dish is a good fit for a fiesta.

At this fiesta theme birthday party for 230 guests, a staff member, made tortillas to serve with the meal. Tortillas are inexpensive to make, and watching them being freshly made adds interest to the buffet. 

Just like menu, the festive look is easy to achieve. Bold color, vibrant flowers, warm terracotta, rustic pieces in wood, iron and clay work well for decorations. Use new serapes as table runners, fresh chilies, tomatoes and limes make great centerpieces, and paper flowers or pinatas keep cost down.

Bigger pieces rented from a prop house can turn a backyard tennis court into a Mexican village. Live Mariachi music is a wonderful treat at a special event. Having service staff in costume, and asking guests to dress up, adds to the fun.

(It only looks like the donkey is having a bite!)

The best way to offer fresh food at a fiesta is to cook on site at cooking stations or to create an open kitchen. Guests enjoy seeing the preparation which is part of the entertainment. The vegetables for this salad were grilled first, then the grill was used for cooking the Ancho Chicken for the main course. Once the vegetables cooled, the salad was assembled and served with Cilantro dressing.

 Fiesta Menu 

 230 Guests

Black Jack Quesadillas 

with Salsa Fresca

page 16

Carnitas Soft Tacos

page 142 

Taquitos Poquitos 

with roasted garlic guacamole

page 40

Cabo Shrimp Cocktail

page 20

Crab Green Chili and Cheddar Dip 

with fresh made tortilla chips

page 57

South American Grilled Vegetable Salad with Cilantro Dressing

page 97

Ancho Chili Grilled Chicken with Verde Sauce

page 132

Mexican Red Rice

page 123

Pinto Beans

Handmade Tortillas

page 216

Sliced Fruit Tray
page 65

Apple Flautas
page 184

Kahlua Chocolate Flan
page 199 

Classic Margaritas
page 227

 Recipes can be found in Cook like a Caterer...Party Sized Recipes for Entertaining

On Lulu or also on Amazon.