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March� Noir (above)
Numi Organic Tea (top right)
Sugajules Artisan Granola(below)

Celabre el Cinco de Mayo!

Not to be confused with Mexico�s Independence Day (September 16), Cinco de Mayo is celebrated as the date when Mexican forces won a decisive victory over the French in the Battle of Puebla.

In the United States, it is a very popular occasion to celebrate everything Mexican. A number of Savor California companies can spice up your Cinco de Mayo.

Leah Aguayo is Mrs. A, and her Mrs. A's Salsa Buena is muy autentica. Medium and Hot, it has a bright fresh taste of tomatoes and cilantro. (shown above, topping quesadillas)

Art of Chipotle makes less traditional jarred salsas (such as Pineapple Mojito) as well as chipotle sauces.

The newest product for Art of Chipotle is Gourmet Chipotle Paste, featured in Chicken with Apple-Mango-Chipotle Salsa (below).

Chips and salsa become extraordinary when made by Native Kjalii Foods. Fresh-Cut Tortilla Chips: white corn, white and yellow corn, and blue corn.

The Fresh Salsas include Fire Roasted Avo-Mango Salsas (below), Cucumber Salsa, Citrus Papaya Chipotle Salsa, and Fire Roasted Guacamole.

In honor of the Battle of Puebla, you can make a truly authentic Mole Poblano -- without starting the sauce from scratch. San Angel Mole takes out the work and puts in all the flavors in their Red Mole.

The Kentucky Derby

Celebrate the most prestigious horse race in the United States on May 1. It may only take 2 minutes for horses to run the 1.25-mile track, but you can sip Mint Juleps made with Sonoma Syrup Co.'s Mint Infused Syrup all afternoon (even if you�re not at Churchill Downs).

Ginger

Ginger is one of our favorite ingredients in its many forms -- and it's even good for you, traditionally aiding with digestion, colds, and inflammation. Chocolate also has benefits, and Chocoveda combines them in their Ginger Lemongrass Chocolate (below).

Deliciously spoonable, Ginger Chocolate Sauce from Fudge is my Life is featured in this recipe for Frozen Brownie Ginger Hot Fudge Sundae.

Oat Cuisine's Ginger Pecan Gourmet Granola (below) has lots of pecans, dried apple, a touch of molasses, ginger and spices.

The White Ginger Simple Syrup from Sonoma Syrup Co. is the secret ingredient in White Ginger Barbecued Ribs.

In B & R Farms' Dried Apricot Chutney, curry and ginger infuse the almonds, apricots and dried cranberries, and the spicy-sweetness gives classic chutney a new twist.

A Perfect Pear from Napa Valley makes a couple of products that contain ginger -- and, of course, pears: Spicy Ginger Pear Mustard and Ginger Pear Salad Dressing, featured in this recipe for Napa Cole Slaw (below).

The Coconut Ginger Sauce from Native Kjalii Foods is tasty as a dipping sauce for Vietnamese spring rolls, satay (below), or crudit�s. Or as a topping to dress up weeknight chicken or pork.

One of the flavors of the much-awarded, buttery, melt-in-your-mouth Alice's Stick Cookies is Ginger-Cinnamon.

The distinctive taste of ginger in Fentimans Ginger Beer (below) is the result of crushed ginger�s being brewed along with the yeast and water in a 7-day process.

For more delicious recipes that use ginger on SavorCalifornia.com, do a �search by ingredient� from the Recipe button in the top navigation bar.

"Secret" ingredients

Ingredients in these recipes may be unexpected, but you can count on great taste!

The use of Numi Organic Tea's Jasmine Green Tea in this recipe suffuses it with a lovely aroma and flavor: Nutty Jasmine Rice (above).

Or try Mintea Couscous, made with Numi's Moroccan Mint Teasan.

Fennel Pollen from Pollen Ranch is the secret ingredient in this old family recipe for moist Apple Cake with Fennel Pollen (above).

Vinegar can jazz up desserts without giving itself away. Pomegranate Vinegar from Spindel Farms makes this Eggless Chocolate Cake (above) light and moist. With no eggs and no milk, it's economical and vegan too.

Your Pie Crust can be exceptional with the addition of Nana Mae's Apple Cider Vinegar. Natalie of Bike Basket Pies sent us the image above of one of the varieties of her pies, shot by Mollie Copans.

Put a kick in your ribs -- Beef Short Ribs, that is -- with Sartain's Menu's The Sauce (above).

Indulge in this slightly spicy version of everybody's favorite -- Bacon Mac & Cheese (above), made with a spice mixture from Sauce Goddess.

Spring Blossoms of the Chocolate Variety

Happy Chocolates tops these bonbons with a beautiful pink cherry blossom.