Paul Hollywood is heading down Mexico way for his new travelogue Paul Hollywood Eats... Mexico.
Following on from his foodie trip to the Land of the Rising Sun in Paul Hollywood Eats... Japan in 2020, the fascinating new show, airing on Channel 4 in the UK, sees The Great British Bake Off and The Great American Baking Show judge explore Mexico’s culinary and cultural heritage.
Here’s everything we know about Paul Hollywood Eats... Mexico…
Paul Hollywood Eats... Mexico release date
The three-part show airs weekly and begins on Channel 4 on Sunday, July 10 at 9pm. All episodes will be available as a box-set straight afterwards on streaming site All4.
What is Paul Hollywood Eats... Mexico about?
The series, narrated by The Thick of It and The Other One’s Rebecca Front, sees Paul make his first-ever visit to Mexico to uncover the country’s authentic cuisine and explore its traditions. He starts his journey in the capital, Mexico City, before embarking on a road trip across Mexico, taking in the American border and the Caribbean coast.
“I’ve never been to Mexico, but I love Mexican food. I knew there would be chillies, tortillas and tequila,” says Paul. “But real Mexican food is different from anything I’ve had in the UK, where we have the Americanised version known as ‘Tex-Mex’.”
What food does Paul try in Paul Hollywood Eats... Mexico?
In the opening episode, Paul samples tacos at a street cafe that doubles up as a car garage, while he also tries his hand at making a traditional Mexican bread, pan dulce.
“Pan dulce translates as ‘sweet bread’ and it’s an enriched dough halfway between a bun and a brioche and really light," explains Paul. “The patterns formed on them with the cutter are like a work of art and they were delicious. I’m definitely going to make some at home.”
However, some Mexican food is less to his taste as he tries fiery-hot chili-flavored sweets when he encounters some Mexican piñatas. He is also not that fond of the baked insects that he gets the chance to nibble.
“The sweets were shocking. The chili takes your breath away,” reveals Paul. “And insects are the food of the future, with Mexico ahead of the curve, but the stuff there was insane – scorpions, cockroaches, maggots the size of your finger. I didn’t get any flavor from the scorpions, it’s more about texture, and eating a leg of a tarantula was enough for me.”
Paul also gets an adrenaline rush when he tries the Mexican sport of fire hockey, played with a flaming ball, while he gets on his bike to team up with a group of all-female bikers and experience Mexican fast food.
“I went 5000 miles and they took me to McDonald’s! They had molletes – bread with cheese and a jalapeño hot sauce – and I felt the heat rising,” he says. “And we had sushi, which had been fried and was actually chicken, not raw fish! It tasted amazing though, I’ve never had anything like it.”
What else is coming up later in the series?
In episode two, Paul takes to the road and in Baja California, he helps make a cake for a Quinceanera – 15th birthday – party. Meanwhile in Milpa Alta, there’s cactus on the menu and insects to taste in Oaxaca. Then, he’s back on judging duty at a Cornish pasty contest – accompanied by a mariachi band!
Meanwhile, in the finale, Paul indulges in beverages from hot chocolate to a trendy Mexican cola, but he also explores how Mexicans’ love of sugar is resulting in increased obesity. Finally, there’s a trip to a Mezcal distillery, a boozy party in a traditional cantina and a spectacular firework festival.
Is there a trailer for Paul Hollywood Eats... Mexico?
Not yet, but we will add it to this page if one is released.
