Just as everyone is Irish on St. Patrick's Day, you'll find a lot of non-Chicanos claiming Mexican heritage on Cinco de Mayo (fifth of May). It's human nature, after all, to want to get in on a good party, and since Cinco de Mayo falls on a Saturday this year, it's a safe bet there will be parties galore. Maybe you'll be giving one of them.

Celebrate Cinco de Mayo with spicy soup made of corn, the foundation of Mexican cuisine. Photo credit: Photography by Tracey Maurer for "Fonda San Miguel" by Tom Gilliland and Miguel Ravago (Shearer Publishing, 2005)

Cinco de Mayo has become a bigger holiday north of the border than in Mexico itself, with the possible exception of Puebla, Mexico, the site of the 1862 victory of a small, poorly armed Mexican militia over the large, well-provisioned French army.

If you are going to celebrate, you need something good to eat, and the award-winning "Fonda San Miguel" by Tom Gilliland and Miguel Ravago (Shearer Publishing, 2005) supplies plenty of authentic Mexican recipes. Fonda San Miguel is a restaurant in Austin, Texas, which was started more than 30 years ago, successfully bucking the tide of Tex-Mex cuisine, which dominated the area. Because Gilliland is also an art collector, the stunning works of Mexican artists that grace the restaurant grace the pages of the book, making it a feast for the eyes.

But if it's your stomach that wants feasting, try some of the dishes here.

SOPA DEL ELOTE (CORN SOUP)

2 fresh poblano chilies

canola oil for frying

3 corn tortillas, cut into thin strips

4 cups fresh corn kernels (from 5 to 6 ears of corn) or 2 (10-ounce) packages of frozen corn kernels, thawed

4-1/2 cups milk

1/4 cup butter, softened

1 teaspoon sea salt

6 tablespoons shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Preheat the broiler. Broil the chilies until the skin is black and charred. Put them in a plastic bag, and allow them to sweat for 10 to 15 minutes. Using rubber gloves to protect from the capsaicin (the volatile oil in chilies), peel off the charred skin. Stem, seed and dice the chilies.

Pour enough oil in a heavy skillet to coat the bottom well. Working in batches, fry the tortilla strips until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on a plate lined with paper towels.

Make the soup: Combine the corn and 1 cup of the milk in a blender or food processor. Puree at high speed until smooth. In a heavy, nonreactive pot, heat the butter over medium heat until melted and bubbly. Add the corn puree and cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the remaining 3-1/2 cups milk and the salt and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring to avoid sticking. In each of 6 warm bowls, put 1 tablespoon of the diced chilies and shredded cheese. Ladle hot soup into the bowls and garnish with tortilla strips.

Yield: 6 servings

Recipe from "Fonda San Miguel" by Tom Gilliland and Miguel Ravago (Shearer Publishing, 2005)

ALBONDIGAS EN CHIPOTLE (MEATBALLS IN CHIPOTLE SAUCE)

6 sprigs marjoram

6 sprigs thyme

10 whole black peppercorns

1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds, crushed in a spice grinder or mortar and pestle

1 bay leaf

2 teaspoons sea salt

1/3 cup whole milk

1 large egg

3 garlic cloves, peeled

1 slice dried white bread

12 ounces ground pork

12 ounces ground beef

1/2 cup cooked white rice

For the sauce:

10 to 12 plum tomatoes (about 2 pounds)

4 chipotle chilies in adobo sauce (available, canned, in Hispanic aisle of supermarket)

4 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 cup beef broth

1 teaspoon sea salt

For serving:

warm flour tortillas

Bring a pot of water to a boil.

Combine the marjoram, thyme, peppercorns, cumin seeds, bay leaf, salt, milk, egg and garlic in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Add the dried bread to the milk mixture and allow to soak a few minutes. In a mixing bowl, combine the pork and beef, rice and the milk mixture. Work it all together with your hands. Roll into 1-inch meatballs. Cover and refrigerate while you make the sauce.

Put the tomatoes in a large bowl, cover with boiling water and allow to stand for 5 minutes. Remove tomatoes from the water and, using a small sharp knife, peel carefully. Combine the tomatoes and chilies in a blender and blend until smooth. Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat, add the tomato mixture and cook for 5 minutes, stirring often. Add the broth and salt, bring to a simmer and add the meatballs. Cover and cook over low heat for 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Yield: 6 to 8 appetizer servings, about 4 to 6 main-course servings

Recipe from "Fonda San Miguel" by Tom Gilliland and Miguel Ravago (Shearer Publishing, 2005)

PASTEL DE TRES LECHES (THREE-MILK CAKE)

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

6 eggs

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup water

3 teaspoons pure vanilla extract, preferably Mexican vanilla extract

1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk

3 cups heavy cream

fresh mangoes, strawberries, peaches or other fresh fruit, sliced

Spray the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray and set aside. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt; set aside. Combine eggs and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer and beat on high speed until doubled in volume, about 5 minutes. Reduce speed to low; add the water and 1 teaspoon of the vanilla. Mix well. On very low speed, or by hand, gently fold the dry ingredients into the batter. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the cake is firm on top and has pulled away from the sides of the pan. Remove from oven and place pan on a rack to cool for 10 to 15 minutes. Remove the cake from the pan, and set on a plate.

While cake is cooling, whisk together the sweetened condensed milk, the evaporated milk, the remaining 2 teaspoons vanilla and 1 cup of the heavy cream. Using a serrated knife, gently slice off the top skin of the cake and discard. Prick the cake all over with a skewer. Pour milk mixture over the cake in several batches, allowing it to soak in as much as possible each time, and spooning any of the milk mixture that oozes out back over the cake. This will take about an hour. Cover loosely and refrigerate until chilled.

When ready to serve, whip the remaining 2 cups heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Pipe or spread the whipped cream on the top and sides of the cake and garnish with fresh fruit slices.

Yield: 10 to 12 servings

Recipe from "Fonda San Miguel" by Tom Gilliland and Miguel Ravago (Shearer Publishing, 2005)

Marialisa Calta is the author of "Barbarians at the Plate: Taming and Feeding the American Family" (Perigee, 2005). For more information, go to www.marialisacalta.com.