It is hard to find the source of the much bandied around factoid that Marlene Dietrich’s favourite meal was hot dogs and champagne. If anyone knows for sure when or where she said it I would love to know.  But it’s a good foodie fact, even if I can’t actually verify it, so I am going with it!

This quote from Marlene is often bandied around too…

but after Fritz Holznagel sent me a link to his brilliant article, Marlene Dietrich and Champagne: She Didn’t Quite Say That I’m reminded that the original quote is slightly different in Marlene’s ABC

and I hereby pledge to get this down off the shelf and cook one of the recipes therein very soon.  Perhaps accompanied by some ice-cold Dom Perignon!

On the night before my birthday, Mr R proposed that we have hot dogs and champagne for dinner and I was totally game.  He had a slightly secret motive for proposing this which revolved around a birthday present that he planned to give me a day early.

We cannot get this in the UK and I had never seen this relish before so I was THRILLED. This was a perfect gift for me because I LOVE gherkins with a huge passion, plus anything in a mustardy sauce is like catnip to me.  But also, this gift marked the beginning of a new one year project.

It is my 57th year on the planet.  Do not ask me how I got so old, I do not know.  It is Mr R’s too (his birthday is on 1st January) so we have decided to consume 57 Heinz related meals between us.

Mr Rathbone was more or less raised on Heinz as his dad worked at the Heinz factory in Harlesden for 27 years.  Let the games begin!

We had hot dogs…

we had champers

and we had cake!

What a superb birthday din dins!

Thanks Marlene for helping us kick off what promises to be a fun year making weird things with Heinz products.

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