SPICE UP CINCO DE MAYO with these delicious and surprising popcorn recipes from Popcorn.org. The vibrant flavors of Mexico have formed food preferences worldwide and celebrations like Cinco de Mayo are a welcome reason to indulge.

The vibrant and colorful Mexican culture has shaped culinary preferences in America in both large and small ways. One such example includes an item from our enmeshed physical and cultural roots — popcorn, a type of maize or corn. Some of the oldest examples of maize were found in the Bat Caves of west central New Mexico and in the Tehuacan Valley of central Mexico. Seed pods at various sites were dated to be some 4,000 to 7,000 years old.

In celebration of Cinco de Mayo on Thursday, take a shot at creating the following culturally mashed up recipe for Mexican Popcorn, courtesy of the Popcorn Board via www.popcorn.org.

Mexican Popcorn Ingredients include 2 quarts of popped popcorn; 2 tablespoons butter, melted; half teaspoon hot pepper sauce; 1 teaspoon ground cumin; 1 teaspoon chili powder; half teaspoon dried oregano; half teaspoon garlic powder; half teaspoon salt; and 2 tablespoons roasted and salted pumpkin seeds.

Once you have assembled the ingredients for Mexican Popcorn, place the popcorn in a large bowl and go ahead and mix in the melted butter and hot pepper sauce and toss with the popcorn. To complete this recipe, mix the remaining ingredients in a separate bowl and then sprinkle over the popcorn, give the complete mixture a couple more good tosses and serve.

May is National Strawberry Month and Popcorn.org also has a delicious and fun popcorn recipe in recognition of this, called Strawberries and Cream Popcorn — look for this recipe later this month!