I only noticed this a few days ago, and though I am not completely sure, but I think I saw what might have been my first sighting of hot dog fingers -- but again, I cannot be certain.

To my prior knowledge, this condition was a phenomenon. I didn't realize that it actually existed until I noticed the newspaper-stand man handling large bundles of the SCMP with his freakishly large fingers on his left hand. I thought, "Hmp, that's the most bizarre thing I've seen in ages," and then I forgot about it. But I saw him again on the way home from work, and there they were again, passing out adverts.

So, I decided to do some reconaissance work once I got to my flat and Googled images of hot dog fingers. As suspected, there was mention of The Office episode where somebody lists this particular condition as a medical problem for which they require medical insurance and Dwight takes a near conniption at this request. This made me snicker because that is where I initially heard the term and it does sound kind of made-up. My Google finding only lead to confusion, however, as it appears that hot dog fingers are meant to be long and skinny, much like the European hot dog. What I saw today was more like a cheddar smoky that you get in North America. From a cart outside the local watering hole. With loads of cheese and sauerkraut and bacon bits. I heard that's where they are and what you put on them.

Yeah.