EDMONDS—Casa Oaxaca has been serving authentic Oaxacan dishes since opening eight years ago on Cinco de Mayo. Owner Martin Luis Cristobal told the Lynnwood Times his restaurant made a name for itself serving authentic food using recipes passed down through generations of this family.
“The recipes are from my wife’s (Sylvia) grandmother and my grandmothers,” said Luis.
Menu items at Casa Oaxaca include Chapulines Fiesteros, Molotes, Memelas con Asiento, Tacos Dorados, and even Mexican pizzas called Tlayuda. Perishable ingredients are locally sourced and non-perishable items are shipped directly from Guadalajara, Mexico. All salsas and guacamole are made in-house from scratch, Martin told the Lynnwood Times.
Though Martin hails from Oaxaca, his dishes reflect all of Southern Mexico, he told the Lynnwood Times.
Martin, who lives in Shoreline, shared with the Lynnwood Times that he loves Snohomish County and has loved working in the City of Edmonds for nearly a decade.
Snohomish County PUD Commissioner Dr. Julieta Altamirano-Crosby hand delivered a copy of the Snohomish County Council’s proclamation (Resolution 25-014)—recognizing May 5 as Cinco de Mayo to Edmonds Mexican restaurant owners of Casa Oaxaca Monday, for their contribution to the County’s economy and upholding Oaxacan culture.
The Snohomish County Council signed the proclamation on Wednesday, April 30, where several Mexican-owned business owners were invited to speak, and receive a copy of the resolution; however the owners at Casa Oaxaca were unable to attend that meeting.
“This celebration isn’t just about honoring history; it is about honoring the leading legacy of the Mexican American community here in Snohomish County. It is about celebrating our culture, our music, our language, our traditions; especially the people who bring those things to life every single day,” Commissioner Dr. Altamirano-Crosby said.
About Cinco de Mayo
The history between the United States of America and the United States of Mexico are intertwined within generations of politics and tradition. In the USA, Cinco de Mayo is traditionally celebrated as if it were the Mexican Independence Day, which does exist, but is celebrated on September 16th – the day generally regarded as honoring Mexico’s independence from Spain.
Cinco de Mayo is a holiday that celebrates the date of the Mexican army’s victory over the Second Empire of France at the Battle of Puebla during the Second Franco-Mexican War on May 5, 1862. The day, which fell on a Monday this year, is also known as the Battle of Puebla Day, and serves as a reminder of the close familial, cultural, spiritual, and economic ties between the republics of Mexico and the United States.
Mexico and the U.S. have grown together as neighbors over the years since both nations have forged their own destinies away from the empires who once dominated them.
Citizens from both countries have moved across their border to pursue lives in each other’s lands, and trade and culture have been prominent points of exchange since both nations came to be and have left indelible marks on one another. One only needs to travel across the western and southwestern states of California, New Mexico, Arizona, Texas to recognize all the names of cities, states, and geographical landmarks whose origins proudly bear their Spanish and Mexican roots.
Author: Kienan Briscoe
