I’m American but ‘identify’ as a British man – I love a chip butty and a ‘perfectly brewed cuppa’
AN AMERICAN man who’s never been to the United Kingdom has fallen so in love with the culture, he now “identifies” as British.
He said he’d happily exchange the sunny skies and palm trees of his current Florida home for London’s climate and a good cup of tea.
The TikTok and YouTube star is known as “Thee Lit One” (@thee_lit_one) or Tlo across his social media platforms.
Scroll through his feed, and you’ll see plenty of UK staples: tea biscuits, Cadbury, Percy Pig, and brown sauce.
Those foods aren’t common in Florida, or in Chicago, Illinois, where Tlo lived previously.
He credits his YouTube subscribers with planting the seed of his obsession with British candy, culture, and weather.
“I’ve been doing YouTube for five years now,” Tlo said. “When I moved to Florida, my subscribers started sending me the foods they like and grew up on.”
Tlo estimates that 99 percent of the culinary delights he’s sampled were sent to him by UK-based subscribers.
Of course, he wanted his subscribers to see him enjoying the treats.
“In January, I started trying the items on TikTok because it just felt like the right thing to do on TikTok, and then it just snowballed from there,” he explained.
Tlo said he loves to start his days off with a “perfectly brewed cuppa” and a “homemade chip butty” while watching the British teen sitcom The Inbetweeners.
His first endeavor into British cuisine started with beans and cheese on toast. Since then, he has never looked back.
Tlo even found a British food store on the outskirts of Miami to feed his obsession, and his appetite.
A video shows him exploring the market, acting like a kid in a candy shop.
“Y’all don’t even know where I’m at,” he said, clearly filled with glee. “I am in the UK almost. British Marketplace in Florida.”
“I feel like I have almost passed away and went to heaven,” the satisfied man said.
Tlo has only visited the shop once, but he was able to buy enough items to keep him going for several weeks.
Videos show him cooking up some Yorkshire puddings, plating up a crisp sandwich and even making his own fried Mars bar.
Tlo has a few items that he loves British snacks but wants to gain a better understanding of them.
“I can’t say this is my favorite because I believe I still have a lot left to try,” Tlo said.
With that caveat in place, he said, “The best things I’ve had so far are a chip butty, deep-fried Mars bar, and tea cakes.”
There are also meals he’s waiting to try until he can make his way across the pond.
“A Sunday roast is the one meal I want to try but it has to be done properly in the UK,” he said.
And he’s certainly becoming a true aficionado since there are foods he’s disliked, too.
“The worst thing I ever tried was tea biscuits,” he said. Then, he admitted, “I’m terrible at making beans and toast.”
Tlo’s obsession doesn’t only revolve around food.
He has also been researching UK-themed pubs, bars, and stores in the Florida area. He’s also planning on visiting the UK soon.
Tlo has started raising money for the trip with the help of his fans and has collected $50 so far.
Even though he’s still early in the planning process, he has an itinerary for his trip underway.
“I have a few things in mind. I want to visit subscribers at their homes and have their favorite meals,” he said. “[I want to] try a lot of authentic stuff that can’t be replicated in the USA.”