When a smallish army of ragged Mexicans defeated a much larger and better-equipped contingent of Napoleon III’s French troops on this day in 1862, few people imagined that Cinco de Mayo would be celebrated so widely with music, parades, parties, piñatas, beer, and of course, food.

Traditional Mexican cuisine is so scrumptious and unique that it has been added to UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage. There, it’s in good company, along with the Mongolian camel-coaxing ritual, Slovakian bagpipe culture, Balinese dance, and Korean kimchi-making.

But while Americans have embraced Cinco de Mayo as a day to celebrate Mexican culture, the U.S. versions of the country’s food often fall short, according to purists. Beef tacos, chicken enchiladas, nachos,