Instructions: May 2: Dia de la Santa Cruz, when crosses are erected and decorated with flowers. The people celebrate with fireworks and picnics, often a barbacoa, barbecue. Although, from its name, the day of the Holy Cross, it is ostensibly a Christian holiday, the celebration is of pre-Colombian origin.

In the Mayan culture the cross symbolized the four corners of the earth, and the spring holiday celebrates rebirth. Today, the holiday unofficially honors construction workers, who were the ones to sustain the celebration by building makeshift crosses on the rooftops of unfinished churches during the last century.

May 5 or Cinco de Mayo: anniversary of Battle of Puebla, at which the Mexican army defeated that of the French on May 5, 1862.

agriculture.

MENU :
**Sikil-pak with fried tortillas
**Empanadas de San Cristobal de las Casas
**Seviche estilo Acapulco
**Coliflor en Aguacate
**Costillas de Puerco a la Parilla
**Tiras de Puerco con Cola
**Rice
**Flan

Notes: The Monthly Food Column is presented as a service of COOKSBOOKS and AMES BOOKS: column appeared each month in Behind The Times, the monthly

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