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Tales Abound of the Incredible, Edible Mystery Meat

Posted on: Wednesday, 18 June 2008, 21:00 CDT

By Janice Okun

Equal time, equal time. Not every one hates SPAM, it turns out. A recent column about my own ghastly experiences with the iconic (and inexpensive) lunch meat, now enjoying new popularity, brought forth a host of comments.

Mostly they came in the form of recipes. My friend Susan spent hours on the Internet forwarding ideas for Gingered SPAM Salad (which included Thai bird peppers and something called "oriental dried chili powder"); SPAM Vegetable Strudel (phyllo, chopped carrot and orange juice); Cricket's SPAM Quiche (stoned wheat crackers and cooked artichokes).

Wendy, my dentist's assistant, described a family party she once attended when everyone was required to bring a dish that contained the pinky pork stuff.

The winner at that affair was probably the SPAM Wellington, Wendy said, although she was not sure of the other ingredients. "Maybe foie gras?" she mused.

A lovely woman from Louisville, Ky., whom I had met last March in Florida read the SPAM column and wrote to tell me about her childhood in Hawaii. She was sorry I didn't enjoy SPAM, she said.

"May I share my perspective? That staple for us helped provide the 'meat' during World War II.

"We fried it for breakfast -- you probably had bacon or sausage; sandwiches -- didn't have cold cuts, unheard of for most of us -- and stir-fried with vegetables. The last time I was there, I ate it in sushi. It's still popular today."

A reader left a message on my voice mail to tell me that SPAM is gift-wrapped in Korea and placed in holiday baskets. A friend of my husband said I haven't lived until I taste the stuff fried with green pepper.

In my case, I have to tell you it is definitely not a case of "give me SPAM or give me death."

Of course, I did hear from the anti-SPAM contingent. And, yes, there were a fair number of them. One of the most touching came from Hugh A. Keller, an 87-year-old former World War II Marine who said he has loads of both good and dreadful memories.

"My unit shipped out of San Francisco on Christmas Eve in 1942, en route to New Zealand to bolster the Maine's stronghold on Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands," he wrote.

"Our ship, an old Norwegian freighter coverted for wartime use, was packed with about 180 Marines, loads of SPAM, powdered milk, powdered eggs and instant coffee.

"It took our ship 24 days to reach New Zealand. We ate SPAM at every meal for those 24 days: SPAM with powdered eggs for breakfast; SPAM sandwiches for lunch; SPAM and powdered potatoes for dinner. Long before we reached New Zealand, we had learned to hate SPAM!

"When we finally arrived at Auckland, eager to enjoy milk, ice cream and steak, we were served, guess what?

"SPAM.

"We sought refuge in a chow hall maintained for and by a SEABEES [the construction battalion of the U.S. Navy] contingent. They gave us plenty of good food. Bless them!"

And bless all of you for writing, too.

Source: Buffalo News

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