Hot Dogs, American Style

Hot dogs are a classically American food. We took the idea of sausage in casing and just went NUTS. Go to any supermarket in the States, and you'll find a whole section of the cheese/cold meat aisle devoted to hot dogs. They range from containing 100% beef to indiscernible meat bits. Hebrew National is the best brand (don't argue), followed by Nathan's (who holds a hot dog eating contest every year at Coney Island).

Hot dogs are harder to find here in England. I've only seen one variety in the classic shrinkwrapped plastic package I'm familiar with. But I see either of these whenever I go shopping, and it makes me feel a bit ill:

American Style Hot Dogs! In jars and cans! OH BOY! A taste of home!

Do people actually buy these and eat them? I suppose they must, as the products exist. But I will argue: these hot dogs are most definitely NOT "American Style" in my mind. They're hot dogs, yes, but hot dogs should not be packed in the same way vienna sausages are.

I find it funny to see American food as interpreted by another country... it must be what, say, Italians and Chinese people feel like in the States.

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Last weekend we travelled up to Birmingham to experience a city that was neither slightly boring Milton Keynes nor the crowded madness that is London. I'd never been before, and promptly went OMG OLD BUILDINGS LOOK SO COOL MUST TAKE PICTURES. I took loads, but I'll just share four of my favorites:

Click a photo to see a slightly larger version.

Birmingham wins over London for me... it's less crowded and dirty, and has almost all the things I'd want out of London. Mostly the less crowded thing.

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Over on my other blog, I've written about how I signed up for a Race for Life 5k in Milton Keynes on June 6th. You can read the entry here.