Hot Dog!
Written 24th June, 2006:
For the past two weeks, I haven't been able to find hot dog buns at any of my local supermarkets. What is it about 21st Century Britain that procuring hot dog buns is so difficult? I primarily shop at Tesco and Sainsbury's. For those of you in America, that's like Pathmark and Walbaums, or Ralphs and Albertsons, or Piggly Wiggly and whatever other brand is popular where Piggly Wiggly is popular. These are big chains, here in Britain. Tesco is the largest supermarket retailer in Britain, while Sainsbury's is the UK's third largest. You would think they could keep hot dog buns in stock, especially now, when it's hot dog/barbecue season!
This all started a couple of weeks ago, when I was visiting my favorite local Tesco, the Martins Heron branch. While not the greatest Tesco branch, I like it because it is the closest to my home and is relatively quiet, so I can find parking close to the entrance, and the lines (queues--why do British people say, "queues?") are short. The only drawbacks to this store are the cashiers are ugly and they don't stock the 12 pack size of Tesco Select crisps, or the 500 gram size of Tesco Value cole slaw. I end up buying two 250 gram ones, which ends up costing me two Pence more than a 500 gram size would. Why the heck doesn't the store stock a full range of their own store brand goods? So anyway, I had this £2.50 Clubcard voucher (translation to American: Clubcard is the store'sloyaltyy points program...a frequent shopper card, so to speak, while a voucher is just a fancy pants British term for a coupon) I wanted to use, so I was trying to do most of my shopping at Tesco, rather than at Sainsbury's, which is my usual. I went down the bakery aisle, where I usually find the hot dog buns. I didn't see any. While I was searching the display for some, I overheard a woman ask a Tesco employee if there were any hot dog buns. This was prime intelligence for my mission, so in typical Jack Bauer style, I easedropped on their conversation. The Tesco employee said something about them not selling hot dog buns anymore, or something. Intelligence gathering isn't an exact science, ok? The woman who asked sounded frustrated and said, "nobody in town has any!" Oh-oh! This sounds serious. I only have a couple of hot dog buns left at home.
My closest friends, over the past three years, will know that, since my divorce, the hot dog has become a favorite stable of mine for breakfast, lunch, or late night snacks. I buy Herta brand, which is a quality make and the closest thing to Oscar Meyer on this side of the Atlantic. They are sold fresh, in plastic packs, like hot dogs back home, in America. Some Brits buy hot dogs in cans (and for some strange reason, call cans, "tins" -- British people sure do talk funny, don't they?), but not me. What I like about the hot dog is the ease of preparation. I just put it in the microwave and in a minute, I have a hot, delicious meal. With some American style, yellow mustard on it and a little Tesco Value cole slaw on the side, an easy breakfast or lunch is provided. Because of budgetary constraints, I only buy the Herta hot dogs when they are on sale, usually buy one get one free, or BOGOF, as the British say. Tesco and Sainsbury's often have a sale on Herta hot dogs, in alternate weeks. Thus Tesco has them on sale one week and Sainsbury's the next. Since the Martins Heron Tesco didn't have any buns, I would stop at the big Sainsbury's store on Bagshot Road, on my way home, as I drive right past it. Surely the woman exaggerated...there must be some hot dog buns somewhere, she probably just hasn't looked everywhere.
So, I stopped in Sainsbury's on Bagshot Road. No hot dog buns. This particular Sainsbury's had a bad track record with having no hot dog buns on the shelves last year, which used to cause me no end of aggravation. What's the good in having hot dogs on sale and no buns? That's it, I went home. I didn't feel like driving across town to the larger Tesco in Warfield. I would try again, next time.
The following Sunday, I tried again. Sainsbury's no, Martin Heron Tesco...closed? Who the heck closes onSundayy? So I schlepped over to Tesco in Warfield, which at least is open AND has the 500 gram Tesco Value cole slaw AND the 12 pack of Tesco Select crisps (crisps are what the British call potato chips, since they call fries chips--see, visiting Britain is fun...it's like foreign!). No hot dog buns!!! Then I did something I have never done before. I went to Waitrose. I had heard there was a Waitrose somewhere in Birch Hill. I don't like shopping there, because they have a reputation for being expensive and they don't have a loyalty card, but I was desperate. By now, I had no buns left at home and a couple of dozen hot dogs in the fridge. I managed to get to Waitrose just before they closed. No buns! They did have toilet paper selling at a price lower than Sainsbury's or Tesco, so I grabbed an economy 12 pack. They had some fresh, mini hero rolls selling five for 25 Pence. Maybe I could use those in the meantime. If I cut them half open, a hot dog should, sort of, fit. As I usually pay 63 Pence for six hot dog buns, this even saved me money.
After working at the Golf course last Saturday, I even tried the 24 hour Tesco in Wokingham, which isn't far from the Golf course. No buns! After using three of the mini hero rolls as substitute hot dog buns (not ideal but it worked after a fashion), by Thursday, the remaining two had gone moldy. Another crisis. On the way home from work, yesterday, I did a weekly shop at Sainsbury's Bagshot Road. Apprehensivelyy, I crept into the bakery section. What a relief...hot dog buns! I happily grabbed a pack and relished the idea of a weekend relaxing, with hot dogs back on the menu.
If anyone can tell me why the supermarkets can't consistently provide hot dog buns, please let me know. Questions? Comments?
For the past two weeks, I haven't been able to find hot dog buns at any of my local supermarkets. What is it about 21st Century Britain that procuring hot dog buns is so difficult? I primarily shop at Tesco and Sainsbury's. For those of you in America, that's like Pathmark and Walbaums, or Ralphs and Albertsons, or Piggly Wiggly and whatever other brand is popular where Piggly Wiggly is popular. These are big chains, here in Britain. Tesco is the largest supermarket retailer in Britain, while Sainsbury's is the UK's third largest. You would think they could keep hot dog buns in stock, especially now, when it's hot dog/barbecue season!
This all started a couple of weeks ago, when I was visiting my favorite local Tesco, the Martins Heron branch. While not the greatest Tesco branch, I like it because it is the closest to my home and is relatively quiet, so I can find parking close to the entrance, and the lines (queues--why do British people say, "queues?") are short. The only drawbacks to this store are the cashiers are ugly and they don't stock the 12 pack size of Tesco Select crisps, or the 500 gram size of Tesco Value cole slaw. I end up buying two 250 gram ones, which ends up costing me two Pence more than a 500 gram size would. Why the heck doesn't the store stock a full range of their own store brand goods? So anyway, I had this £2.50 Clubcard voucher (translation to American: Clubcard is the store'sloyaltyy points program...a frequent shopper card, so to speak, while a voucher is just a fancy pants British term for a coupon) I wanted to use, so I was trying to do most of my shopping at Tesco, rather than at Sainsbury's, which is my usual. I went down the bakery aisle, where I usually find the hot dog buns. I didn't see any. While I was searching the display for some, I overheard a woman ask a Tesco employee if there were any hot dog buns. This was prime intelligence for my mission, so in typical Jack Bauer style, I easedropped on their conversation. The Tesco employee said something about them not selling hot dog buns anymore, or something. Intelligence gathering isn't an exact science, ok? The woman who asked sounded frustrated and said, "nobody in town has any!" Oh-oh! This sounds serious. I only have a couple of hot dog buns left at home.
My closest friends, over the past three years, will know that, since my divorce, the hot dog has become a favorite stable of mine for breakfast, lunch, or late night snacks. I buy Herta brand, which is a quality make and the closest thing to Oscar Meyer on this side of the Atlantic. They are sold fresh, in plastic packs, like hot dogs back home, in America. Some Brits buy hot dogs in cans (and for some strange reason, call cans, "tins" -- British people sure do talk funny, don't they?), but not me. What I like about the hot dog is the ease of preparation. I just put it in the microwave and in a minute, I have a hot, delicious meal. With some American style, yellow mustard on it and a little Tesco Value cole slaw on the side, an easy breakfast or lunch is provided. Because of budgetary constraints, I only buy the Herta hot dogs when they are on sale, usually buy one get one free, or BOGOF, as the British say. Tesco and Sainsbury's often have a sale on Herta hot dogs, in alternate weeks. Thus Tesco has them on sale one week and Sainsbury's the next. Since the Martins Heron Tesco didn't have any buns, I would stop at the big Sainsbury's store on Bagshot Road, on my way home, as I drive right past it. Surely the woman exaggerated...there must be some hot dog buns somewhere, she probably just hasn't looked everywhere.
So, I stopped in Sainsbury's on Bagshot Road. No hot dog buns. This particular Sainsbury's had a bad track record with having no hot dog buns on the shelves last year, which used to cause me no end of aggravation. What's the good in having hot dogs on sale and no buns? That's it, I went home. I didn't feel like driving across town to the larger Tesco in Warfield. I would try again, next time.
The following Sunday, I tried again. Sainsbury's no, Martin Heron Tesco...closed? Who the heck closes onSundayy? So I schlepped over to Tesco in Warfield, which at least is open AND has the 500 gram Tesco Value cole slaw AND the 12 pack of Tesco Select crisps (crisps are what the British call potato chips, since they call fries chips--see, visiting Britain is fun...it's like foreign!). No hot dog buns!!! Then I did something I have never done before. I went to Waitrose. I had heard there was a Waitrose somewhere in Birch Hill. I don't like shopping there, because they have a reputation for being expensive and they don't have a loyalty card, but I was desperate. By now, I had no buns left at home and a couple of dozen hot dogs in the fridge. I managed to get to Waitrose just before they closed. No buns! They did have toilet paper selling at a price lower than Sainsbury's or Tesco, so I grabbed an economy 12 pack. They had some fresh, mini hero rolls selling five for 25 Pence. Maybe I could use those in the meantime. If I cut them half open, a hot dog should, sort of, fit. As I usually pay 63 Pence for six hot dog buns, this even saved me money.
After working at the Golf course last Saturday, I even tried the 24 hour Tesco in Wokingham, which isn't far from the Golf course. No buns! After using three of the mini hero rolls as substitute hot dog buns (not ideal but it worked after a fashion), by Thursday, the remaining two had gone moldy. Another crisis. On the way home from work, yesterday, I did a weekly shop at Sainsbury's Bagshot Road. Apprehensivelyy, I crept into the bakery section. What a relief...hot dog buns! I happily grabbed a pack and relished the idea of a weekend relaxing, with hot dogs back on the menu.
If anyone can tell me why the supermarkets can't consistently provide hot dog buns, please let me know. Questions? Comments?
posted by Joey B at 6:58 PM
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1 Comments:
Just so you know i work for tesco and can tell you that the martins heron Tesco is closed on sunday because it is built on religious ground and therefore the only way they got planning permisson was to shut on sundays. Also its where they filmed the spice girls advert! as it was closed on sundays for filming :)
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