Where can I buy English Baked Beans in or around Chicago?

The hubby and I just returned from a 2 week stint in Europe, and spent a good deal of time in the UK. While there, we thoroughly enjoyed our Full English Breakfasts complete with grilled tomato, friend sausage, mushrooms, perfectly fried eggs, a big, multigrain piece of toast, and baked beans.
We love this combonation of food so much, it's all we've wanted since we've been back home.
I've managed to recreate everything nearly down to a T (including holding the tomato half over an open flame on my stove for a minute to get that charred taste), but I just CAN NOT find those English baked beans!

Specifically, Heinz Baked Beans in tomato sauce, but I'd settle for any other brand, no problem.
The biggest difference, as far as I can tell, is that the bb in the US are loaded with pork fat and sugar, where as the UK version forgoes the sugar and is cooked mainly in tomato sauce.

I've found it on Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Heinz-Beans-Tomat ... roduct_top
but it's a bit pricey at over $19 for 12 cans, PLUS I have to pay/wait for shipping etc...

Does anyone know where I may be able to find English baked beans in the Chicago area? I figured if you guys don't know, I'd might as well give up the search, suck it up, and buy it from Amazon.


Thanks!
B

I'm pretty sure that I've seen the Heinz Baked Beans in the little English foods section at Fresh Farms Niles. Actually, a grocery catering to Commonwealth members, such as South Asians, often carries items peculiar to British tastes. So I see that sort of thing at Indian and Pakistani groceries on Devon too. One of the small pleasures of Fresh Farms is spotting the different versions of the same product made for different countries, such as Polish Hellman's mayonnaise and, I guess, Heinz baked beans.

HI,

Seen at Woodman's last night in Kenosha.

Regards,

It's been a number of months since I've been there and more months than that since I last looked it over but... there is (/used to be) a British foods section in the far-western aisle of the Treasure Island store on Elm by Clark and I believe they had canned beans and such there... One could call ahead and check...

Antonius

Thanks so much everybody! I really appreciate all of the help. It's always so hard for me to fathom that I may not be able to get something here in Chicago, and lo and behold, I'm sure I'll get me hands on these!
Hubby is stopping at the Fresh Farms store on his way in from work tonight, and if they don't have them, I'll head down the list from there!


Thanks again!

I saw them at World Market on Clybourn yesterday. Treasure Island on Broadway must have them for a good price, too, because one day I was checking out after a guy who obviously worked at a local restaurant & was buying several dozen cans. (I wonder how much they mark them up!)

Cathy2 wrote:HI,

Seen at Woodman's last night in Kenosha.

Regards,

Woodman's - all stores
World Market - Most stores

And many broad-line international markets.

I believe that they are also carried at Meijer's but I am NOT positive.

I am fairly certain I saw them at the Jewel in Highland Park some time ago. I think they are less rare than you might think. A fair number of stores have a small English/Irish food section and I see them there.

I've definitely seen them in the UK section of the Jewel on Ashland and Wellington.

The Jewel on Howard in Evanston has them in its small (1 side of 1/2 aisle) British food section.

The Jewel in Arlington Heights has them in their British section, too --and I've seen them in several other suburban Jewel-Osco stores.

I would think if some Jewels have them, any Jewel could order them for you.

Yup, I'm pretty sure the Jewel in Evanston on Howard St. has had them; they have a little section in their "international" aisle that carries UK foods - it's only a couple shelves, but I'm fairly sure I saw the Heinz baked beans there.

I'll add my "me too:"

See them in nearly every Jewel with a UK section (usually just a few feet of shelf space). They have Heinz beans, brown sauce and the always-funny Heinz Spotted Dick in a can. I chuckle every time I pass it.

spinynorman99 wrote:I'll add my "me too:"

They have... the always-funny Heinz Spotted Dick in a can. I chuckle every time I pass it.

Next time, buy one. It's a delicious, sweet, rich, heavy English steamed pudding -- and you just cook it in the can. Classic.

(Reminds me of a few years ago, when I was dining at The Olde Cheshire Cheese in London, and there was an American family not far away, and when they got to dessert, the two little boys almost burst. "Dad. Dad. Dad. Did you see this?" Very cute and very funny.)

Treasure Island also has the Batchelor brand beans along with Heinz. They are with the other canned vegetables (at least at the Broadway store).

Ditto. Actually pretty easy to find if you look in the surprisingly now common British/Irish sections of the "ethnic" aisles in Jewels and other supemarkets. Meijer is another. The Jewel on Southport has them. Why the chains insist on breaking out staples like canned beans and placing them in ridiculous "ethnic" sections is beyond me. So don't look in the canned bean area if you want La Preferida pintos, Alessi ceci, Goya frijoles negros, or Heinz baked, that would be too easy.

I too have a soft spot for English/Irish breakfast. Much easier to find in Chicago than it used to be. If you ever want to have this breakfast "out," good versions are available at several pubs around town all day. Ginger's, Globe, O'Shaugnessey's, Atlantic (weekends), Pepper Canister come to mind. Grilled tomato presence is spotty. Ms. Murphy's and Sons has a complete one at brunch.

Who doesn't love a full-bore British Brekkers. But one essential question remains: Where can one find real bangers? Or, does anyone have a recipe for same?

I've learned how to make back bacon (pretty simple: apply pink salt and wait...), but the bangers are still missing.

Geo

Geo wrote:Who doesn't love a full-bore British Brekkers. But one essential question remains: Where can one find real bangers? Or, does anyone have a recipe for same?

I've learned how to make back bacon (pretty simple: apply pink salt and wait...), but the bangers are still missing.

Geo

I did a quick search and found that there's a British company that, if their website can be believed, sells bangers and back bacon at Costco and Krogers, but also sells them over the Internet. http://www.balsonbutchers.com/?gclid=CJ ... KgodhFdpuw
Actually, I was surprised at the number of places that came up when I searched for where to buy bangers in the Chicago area, but most of the others appear to be restaurants.

For other British delicacies, there's British Accents in Long Grover (or on the Internet).
http://british-accents.com/

(Now that I can get Branston pickle at Jewel, I don't get to British Accents as often any more, so I don't know if they still have a freezer full of pasties, sausage rolls, and bangers, but they once did.)

I was in The Irish Shop in Oak Park IL today and found Bangers made by Winston's bakery, Winston's also makes Bridies, Meat Pies and other British things. Also found Branston's Pickle, Irish made jams & jellies, scones Sasoon's Malt Vinegar. The food section isn't large but they have the things I was looking for. They are at the corner of Park and North Blvd, not North Ave. Didn't see the beans though.

Gregg

I think that's Oak Park Ave and North Blvd, not Park

No, I looked at the street signs specifically so I could make the post and it was Park.

Address is:
100 North Oak Park Avenue, Oak Park, IL
(708) 445-1149
http://theirishshopoakpark.com

I'm pretty sure I have seen Heinz baked beans at Garden Fresh Markets. Maybe at Sunset Foods and/or Mariano's too. I'll take a look today.

I just wanted to update that I have been getting these delivered via Amazon for the past year. It works out well. I have a subscription and automatically get a case every 2 month. The price is never over $19/case which comes to about $1.50/ can. This is cheaper than anywhere that I could find it here in Chi, but I will also note that once I posted the question here on LTH, I began seeing them everywhere. It's funny how that happens.

I just wanted to post this just in case anyone else was looking for the best deal on these!

Thanks!

I've seen them and a bunch of other English themed food at Fresh Farms (of course).