It has to be said that there’s not a lot on offer regards British food in Mexico City. It’s not a town known for its international cuisine, and British food isn’t much known for appealing much beyond its borders. Maybe I should do something to change that! Yes, I’ve been watching television, too much of it, and it’s been putting silly ideas in my head. Nonetheless, Dolce Vito has left me inspired.
Every busy, half busy or sometimes even barely trodden street has a food vendor selling tacos, corn or other Mexican foodstuff that’s easy to consume standing up. But no one is selling Jacket Potatoes. And I’ve long thought that a Jacket Potato with a choice of filling would make an excellent meal for the hungry Mexican worker looking for a quick, cheap and filling lunch.
It’s not hard to set up a street stall. One little charcoal barbeque/cooker/heatery upper thingy. One metal pot for the pre baked potatoes. Three metal pots for the fillings. A plastic tray for some grated cheese. A small foldaway table. A money jar. Some disposable plastic trays with lids and some sturdy plastic forks. Salt and pepper shaker. I think that’s about it.
Three fillings would be enough. Chili Con Carne. Curried Beans. Tuna and Sweetcorn. What’s not to like about a jacket potato with a yummy filling? I’m sure you could sell them for 20 pesos a pop and make a bit of profit. Yes, it would be a bizarre career change for me to make. And I’m not really intending to make it. But, for a laugh, maybe I will do it just once. Find myself a good spot, close enough to passing trade, far enough from other food stalls jealously guarding their stretch of turf. I’d need a helper though. Random blog reader in Mexico City? One of my students? Other crazy person? Apply within.
The Mexile 
That looks pretty nice, now I’m hungry.
The problem with such type of food, is that potatoes in Mexico are generally low quality. Its hard to find the good ones.
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The other problem is that Mexicans don’t like potatoes quite as much as the English! But one can but try…
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Ah, but don’t forget the filling in the picture – Crema. Not only the most popular Baked Potato (ok, Jacket Potato) topping in the States, but Crema is very popular on all sorts of things in Mexico, North Mexico (Mexicanos in the US), and in many parts of Latin America
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You’re not wrong. I’d need to think of a better filling for a cream topping though. Although maybe the chili con carne would work. Cream sure is cheaper than cheese anyway.
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jacket potatoe? to take back to my bedsit, perhaps?
you’re so brit!
i think it’d be great fun to man the stand for one day.
you’d come away with more stories than coin.
DanaJ
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I suspect you’re right! Could be a laugh though. Maybe I’ll do it at Christmas and feed the homeless!
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Just the people to ask = where can you buy HP Sauce and Branston Pickle in dear old DF, the big megalopolis, Mexico City
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If you find out, let me know!!! I’ve been looking for HP sauce, Branston, Marmite and Jaffa Cakes for years with no luck.
I have found Colemans Mustard (albeit in powder form), Horseradish sauce and even Asda bottles of various curries.
Best places to look are Superama (owned by Walmart, and every now and then something new from Asda pops up), the International Food section of Liverpool department stores, and the City Market store, which is just round the corner from the famous Fonda Margarita.
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Hola, I find interesting your idea about the potatoes I’d love to have one, maybe you can help me , see after living in England for years I have come back to Mexico and to be honest, I am mising a good full English brekfast, so do you know were can I find back bacon and baked beans cans in Mexico?
for the kind attentions you very much
Jose Ramon
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Hi Jose,
I’m afraid that cooking anything English in Mexico City requires improvisation! Potatoes, of course, are easy to find, but I never did come across Heinz Baked Beans or British style back bacon. You can get proper, sharp Cheddar Cheese from Costco though. So whatever you fill the potato with, at least you can put on a good layer of grated cheese! In the UK, a chili con carne filling is pretty popular though, and that’s easy enough to do. As is a curried chicken filling. You can find curry powders in Superama and oriental shops….there’s one very near the Olympic Swimming pool in the south of the city.
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I forgot to ask, any ideas were can I find PG tips English tea in Mexico
Tank you very much
Jose Ramon
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Nope, never did find English tea bags in Mexico! I used to get someone to post me some from England.
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You can get Twinnings Tea’s in Walmart if you have one close, My Wife is from Monterrey and I was shocked on my first vist to not be able to find an Electric Kettle anywhere!
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Lipton’s tea bags in chedrari
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go to sir winston churchills resturant.roast beef and yorkshire puds palanco
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Hello! just wanted to update. I´m mexican but my husband is English so we have been hunting down english food aswell. You can find baked beans in Chedraui!! also canned gravy. There is a new shop called Aladinos (or website if you prefer http://www.aladinos.com) they sell salad cream, gravy, Branston pickle, and other stuff there.
Now they sell kettles everywhere 😀 saw them in wal mart.
Twinnings tea in wal mart but its quite a soft version of english tea.
Something close to fish and chips are the “pescaditos” that they sell in some markets or seafood restaurants.
Kebabs you can find in condesa.
Hmmm i have a group on facebook called Brits in Mexico in case you want to continue sharing your information 😀
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I spent a year in the UK as a student, so I had plenty jacket potatoes, haggis and cheese were my choice many times. I used to think that having that kind of meal at my uni back in Mexico could be great and I also thought about having a little place somewhere to sell it… but I am sure that I could not be competition against tacos or gorditas…
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That was always what put me off from trying to sell a few street side ‘taters! Tacos will win every time… 🙂
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