The cultural differences between Britain and America have long been established by now, but it seems that we’re still finding ways to be confused by it all.
Food certainly seems to be a common cause of confusion.
You may remember not too long ago when the internet erupted after Americans took to Twitter to criticise the Great British fry-up and present their own version of this breakfast phenomenon? And then of course, who can forget the American mother-daughter TikTok duo that has been causing havoc recently with their “hot tea/British tea” and “beans on toast” recipes?
It’s another British food ‘delicacy’ that’s found itself in the American firing line this time though.
After scrolling through the hugely popular r/CasualUK thread on Reddit, we came across a post by a self-confessed “confused American” who was posing the question as to why we have – and we direct quote here – “face meats” in the UK, and after understandably spending a minute or two being confused as to what they meant, we realised just what it was they were referring to.
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Who remembers Billy Bear ham?
You know, that teddy bear shaped ‘ham’ with a face – that either came in a sliceable log, or was pre-cut and packaged – and was worryingly made of only 66% pork?
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Nothing like seeing Billy Bear ham in log form to really put the fear of God in you on a Sunday afternoon. pic.twitter.com/iHIH1bDnCr
Yes, this is what Americans are referring to as “face meats” and it’s absolutely hilarious.
Billy Bear ham is the product of German-based company The Feldhues Group and surprisingly, it’s not the only “face meat” they manufacture either – Happy Lion, Happy Tractor, Happy Fox and more all make up the collection of hams, and they’re all still available to get your hands on too, if you’re in the market for that sort of thing.
Frightening.
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The Feldhues Group who make Billy Bear ham also have another character called "Billy" who, frankly, appears to be of a somewhat questionable design… pic.twitter.com/tw8f4HnJnf
Of course, as is to be expected with Reddit, the comment threads under the “face meats” question are equally as funny as the initial post itself, but if you sift through the comical responses, there are some stand-up citizens who have attempted to present reasoning.
One comment reply reads: “It’s just ham – we put faces on it so that the little sh**s will shut up and eat their sandwiches.”
Another said: “As a student I worked on the deli counter of a major UK supermarket that sold the Billy Bear version of this meat. Most of the conversations round this were kids asking their parents to buy it, then the parents saying no because you don’t actually like the taste of it. Great marketing ploy – sell you something the kids wont eat.”
In general response to the question by the “confused American” though, it seems that we as Brits actually have no idea why our supermarkets stock “face meats” either.
In fact, they’re probably right to be confused by it, because we very much are too.
Maybe we’ll have to let the Americans have this one.
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Coca-Cola confirms the Christmas Truck is coming to Manchester this weekend
Emily Sergeant
Coca-Cola has finally confirmed the news we’ve all been waiting for… the Christmas Truck will be in Manchester this weekend.
December is here, the temperatures have plummeted outside, and the ‘most wonderful time of the year’ is nearing closer and closer by the day – but it’s not Christmas until you’ve gone and got a Coca-Cola from the giant red van is it, right?
Well luckily, we won’t have to wait too much longer to get to do that once again.
The soft drinks company confirmed that ‘Holidays Are Coming’ a couple of weeks back, with the UK tour of the iconic Coca-Cola Christmas Truck now well underway, and having visited other major northern cities such as Leeds and Liverpool over the last few days.
And now, Coca-Cola has revealed that the legendary van is coming to Greater Manchester this weekend, and will be stopping off at the Trafford Centre for one day only.
The much-loved festive symbol will be arriving outside the shopping centre tomorrow (Saturday 2 December) from midday right through until 8pm to provide “the ultimate Christmas celebration”, with a whole host of activities planned for families of all ages.
The 2023 Coca-Cola Christmas Truck journey will be packed with “interactive experiences for visitors to immerse themselves in”.
Coca-Cola confirms the Christmas Truck is coming to Manchester this weekend / Credit: Supplied
Anyone who heads to the Trafford Centre from midday tomorrow will first be welcomed by a walk-in, snow-filled bauble that invites them to “step into a winter wonderland for the perfect holiday snapshot”, all before making a stop at the ‘Ho-Ho-Hoop Hut’ to take part in a fun festive game for the chance to win a selection of prizes – including meal-inspired rewards, and recycled Christmas tree decorations.
Families can then finish off the tour by posing for a memorable photo opportunity in front of the iconic Coca-Cola truck.
Visitors are welcome to listen to the Coca-Cola Christmas choir as they perform a set of carols too.
Fancy it then? If you’re ready to kick-start Christmas the right way, then make sure you get yourself down to the Trafford Centre from midday tomorrow.
Featured Image – Supplied
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Tesco has slashed the price of one-litre bottles of Baileys by more than 50%
Emily Sergeant
Tesco has slashed the price of one-litre bottles of Baileys by more than 50%, and they’re now available to get your hands on for a limited time only.
With December officially here, and the festive season nearing closer by the day, most UK supermarkets are rolling out deals left, right, and centre to help shoppers save a few pennies during ‘the most wonderful time of the year’ as the cost of living crisis continues – and it seems like Tesco is absolutely no different.
That’s because the retailer has decided to knock a whopping £12 off the regular price of one-litre bottles of one of the best-loved Christmas tipples.
Fans of the classic Irish cream liqueur drink will probably want to run not walk to their nearest Tesco to stock up on Baileys ready for the big day to arrive, as big bottles of the festive favourite have been reduced from £22 right down to just £10, and are now available to fill your basket with.
Tesco has slashed the price of one-litre bottles of Baileys by more than 50% / Credit: The Manc Group
But… there’s a bit of a catch (isn’t there always?)
Not only is the over half-price offer only available for a very limited time, and due to expire at the end of next week, but shoppers will only be able to buy the one-litre bottles at the impressive £10 price if they’re Tesco Clubcard customers.
You were probably expecting that’d be the case, right? The supermarket – which is well-known for the savings it offers via is loyalty card scheme all year round – is giving Clubcard users up until Monday 11 December to nip to their nearest branch or head online to the Tesco website and buy as many bottles of Bailey’s as they fancy.
Fans of the classic Irish cream liqueur drink can stock up now / Credit: Tesco PLC
As part of the supermarket’s commitment to “keep prices low” until the end of the year, stuffing, roast potatoes, cranberry sauce, and even tin foil have all seen their prices slashed as the retailer aims to help those struggling to cover costs.