š§ La Cebolla Sundays: Mexicans Celebrate Independence Day by Grilling "Hot Dogs" and CatsupāLiterally! š½š
9/15/24: š¾ From Pets to Plates? Mexican-American Cookouts Spark Controversy
š²š½ Ā”Viva MĆ©xico! Or perhaps, viva the scandal of the century?
Mexican Independence Day, Diez y Seis de Septiembre, was celebrated this weekend with unabashed enthusiasmāand potentially questionable culinary choices. As mariachi bands played and families gathered for the festivities, it seems some Mexicans and Mexican-Americans took their Independence Day menus quite literally this year. Across the U.S., celebrants reportedly grilled "hot dogs" and served them with a suspiciously high volume of catsup. And by "hot dogs," we mean actual pets.
Before you grab your pitchforks, letās acknowledge the cultural backdrop. Mexican Independence Day marks the start of Mexico's courageous struggle against Spanish rule in 1810, led by the fearless "El Grito" from Miguel Hidalgo. Itās a day of pride, liberation, and unityāoften featuring feasts aplenty. However, this yearās twist might have left some party-goers barking mad.
Interestingly, this canine conundrum appeared to echo Donald Trumpās recent claim that some immigrants have a peculiar fondness for eating others' cats and dogsāa statement as bewildering as it is controversial. The former president's claims have been panned as wildly unfounded, derogatory, and steeped in harmful stereotypes.
But who knew Trump might be onto something with his alleged foresight of this weekend's "grilled gatherings?" While his remarks earn a collective eye-roll, one canāt help but wonder if they inspired some Mexican revelers to cook up a storm and serve manās best friend alongside that ever-popular condiment, catsup.
In Tucson, where Pima County recently declared "El Guero Canelo Day," celebrating the famed Sonoran hot dog, Supervisor Adelita Grijalva, a descendant of immigrants, likely did not foresee the commotion. It seemed fittingāa blend of American and Mexican culture through the delightful union of the bacon-wrapped hot dog. But alas, with such a saucy twist, immigrants are not only teaching us new ways to enjoy culinary delights but also how to reduce the stray animal population.
Local immigration activist El Panson stated: āYou are just going to put these animals to death anyways, why not celebrate their lives with a carne asada de gato?ā
Yes, outrage might spark, and tempers may flare, but one must consider it a true testament to the power of cultural fusion. As our borders blur gastronomically, and Tucson is a UNICEF City of Gastronomy after all, a shared skepticism towards culinary traditions like āketchup with petsā might be the real glue (made with a horse, of course) that fosters international peaceābut only if taken with a pinch of salt.
So this weekend, as Mexicans worldwide celebrate their roots with innovativeāyet literalāinterpretations of the hot dog, let's paws (pun intended) and reflect. This incident, whether culinary blunder or misunderstood gesture, teaches us the potential pitfalls of taking traditions too literally, while highlighting the diversity of taste (and humor) that immigrants bring to the tableā¦ along with their pets.
Ā”Buen provecho and Ā”Viva los gatos y perros!