By Susannah Rigg
While Mexico is famous for its sensational street food and home cooking, the British appetite for exploring the distinctive flavors of authentic Mexican cuisine began only recently.
People in the UK are choosing to make Mexican dishes at home using supermarket kits and are switching their trusty old sandwich for a burrito at lunchtime. However, do Brits really know much about authentic Mexican food? It would seem that whilst there is definitely still much to learn, Brits are becoming increasingly aware of, and intrigued by, Mexican flavours.
The Mexican Food Revolution
The fantastic thing about the current ‘Burrito Boom’ that is spreading through the country, with Burrito vans popping up everywhere, is that it is making Brits more curious about Mexican food. Although you might not find burritos in Mexico, except in some places bordering the US, those bundles of tortilla and bean deliciousness are opening people’s eyes to Mexican cuisine in much the same way that the kebabs and curry paved the way for Turkish and Indian food to enter the consciousness and dinner tables of Brits. Many producers of Mexican food are excited about the Burrito Boom and embrace it as part of the Mexican food revolution in the UK. They see it as the perfect starting point for Brits to learn more about Mexican flavours and to be open to experimenting with Mexican brands.
If you ask your average Brit about Mexican food, they will most likely still name dishes that can be found in Tex -Mex restaurants, like fajitas, chile con carne and nachos, as well as thinking the cuisine is always very spicy. Little by little this is changing however, and with more and more Brits choosing to holiday in Mexico and sampling truly authentic dishes, it would seem that they are also searching for those flavours when returning home to the UK.
The revolution of Mexican food in Britain is a movement generally coming directly and authentically from Mexico. Mexicans living in the UK with a love of their cuisine are opening restaurants and starting businesses brining their food to the people of Britain. Interestingly some Americans coming to the UK have complained about the lack of good Mexican food, but in just the same way that there is a type of curry that can only be found in the UK, because it was created by Indian’s living here, Mexican food in the US has its own unique taste since it has been evolved by Mexicans living in the US, incorporating local flavours and tastes.
Diversity of Mexican Food
Mexican food is as diverse as the country. From deserts to rainforests, to Caribbean islands, the cuisine changes reflecting the climate. From state to state the food is different, so much so that even many Mexican’s won’t have tried all of the different cuisine that their country has to offer. For that reason, Brits still have a lot to learn about Mexican food and so many new flavours to sample, but gradually many of these different dishes are appearing on menus as more and more Mexican restaurants are opening up. Brits cooking Mexican food at home are also being given the chance to produce more authentic flavours with Mexican ingredients becoming increasingly available.
Authentic Ingredients
Ask the majority of Mexican’s living away from their country what they miss the most, and after family and friends they will frequently say the food. Therefore, it is not surprising that Mexican’s living in the UK have found ways to make and import Mexican ingredients and lucky Brits are the beneficiaries.
KANKUN® sauces for example, have brought the delight of fresh salsas to the UK, using recipes straight from the founder Rolando’s family kitchen in Mexico. Flavours passed down through generations are what make Mexican food so important to Mexicans, because their history and culture can be tasted in every bite. A few splashes of these delicious KANKUN® sauces can transport you back to a sun-drenched beach in Mexico in an instant.
KANKUN® ’s traditional recipe uses sustainable and carefully selected ingredients. It is additive, gluten and nut free making it the perfect choice for all families. KANKUN® range varies from a zesty mild jalapeno sauce, the smoky marinade, the earthy smoky chipotle and the extremely hot habanero chilli. KANKUN® is available at Whole Foods Market, The Conran Shop, Amazon and several Delis and Independence part of the supply chain of Cotswold Fayre. RRP £3.00
Not only can you find traditional sauces in the UK, but also a great variety of other authentic ingredients are increasingly available. Nowadays you can find, Mexican cheeses, chilli pastes, beans, spices and tortillas among others ingredients, meaning that Mexican cuisine are on an interesting journey in the UK. The combination of traditional authentic flavours with local ingredients is convincing more and more Brits to jump on board and let their taste buds ride this delicious Mexican wave.