This story was originally published on June 26, 2017.
Just last week, we discovered that Trader Joe's had begun selling what we thought looked like an elevated version of pigs in a blanket, which it calls Puff Dogs. The minute we read the announcement on the New Products page of the Trader Joe's website, we were ready to pay a visit to that trusty freezer aisle to pick up a few boxes. To our surprise, however, once the Puff Dog news started to spread, it became clear that a specific region was generally unimpressed by the new product.
In recent days, folks in the U.K. have taken to social media to express their annoyance that TJ's is being credited for creating a brand new dish with the introduction of Puff Dogs. That's because the snack in question is apparently quite similar to sausage rolls, and according to The Daily Mail, those have been popular in Europe since the 19th century.
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The many tweets about Trader Joe's sausage rolls range quite a bit in tone. For instance, some Twitter users are simply hoping to point out to Americans that TJ's hasn't invented anything new, while others are cracking some hilarious jokes to drive the same point home. Our favorite in that category is a tweet from a user named Niamh O'Shea that reads, "Unless it's the lovechild of @SnoopDogg and @SeanCombsVIP then, No. Just no. This is not new. It's called the sausage roll." Still others seem to be legitimately — and understandably — angry that an American company is taking credit for this classic European dish. One user even employed the hashtag #keepyourhandsoffourpastry.
ok what is trader joes and why are they calling sausage rolls puffdogs and also claiming to have invented them
— jos (@JosepineFluff) June 26, 2017
Unless it's the lovechild of @SnoopDogg and @SeanCombsVIP then, No. Just no. This is not new. It's called the sausage roll. #puffdogs
— Niamh O'Shea (@puddingnbiscuit) June 26, 2017
USA 'think' they've invented a new savoury snack called #puffdogs... It's only a sodding 'British sausage roll' #keepyourhandsoffourpastry pic.twitter.com/9wL8IFEzpp
— Aaron (@Airc83) June 23, 2017
Americans think they have invented sausage rolls with #puffdogs ? I cant even.....
— Eileen Bell (@eileencsgo) June 25, 2017
Just finished my sculpture. I call it "Freedom Statue". #puffdogs pic.twitter.com/8zgjK2iUPR
— David Mateer (@d_mateer) June 24, 2017
Not only is the name stupid 'puff dogs' but the fact Americans think they invented this new snack is worse It's a sausage roll jog on pet
— fariah? (@FariahHanif) June 24, 2017
We'd like to give credit where credit is due, and say thank you to Europeans for introducing the idea of rolling pastry dough around a sausage because it's truly genius. Although we do have to be honest and say we're pretty happy we can now get them in a nearby freezer aisle.