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Spammy the Pig says "Ask for SPAM!"Jul 12 '00 Write an essay on this topic.Disclaimer: Yes, there is actually a recipe here, but I added the rest just for fun. Please don't whine-it gives me hives. Spam is the most socially unacceptable meat product of all time. Even people who have never had Spam consider it a meat by-product not worthy of consideration for a dog's meal. Now why would such a seemingly innocent chunk of meat get such a bad rap? I think I might be able to shed some light on this misunderstood meat product. History The name Spam is a shortened version of Hormel's original name for the product, "Spiced Ham". When it was first introduced in its present form to the American public in the 30's, Spam was much less than a market success. Hormel tried to boost sales of Spam through a large advertising campaign, introducing Spammy the Pig as the Spam spokesperson. However, it was the commencement of WWII that gave Spam its highly sought-after sales boost. Because of the immense need by the US military for food, many food products, especially meat, were rationed in order to provide enough food for soldiers. Spam, however, was not. Many Americans on the home front served Spam as a main course for every meal. In addition, because of Spam's long shelf life and lack of a need for refrigeration, Spam was the ideal meat to transport overseas for soldiers' rations. Hormel enjoyed both increased notoriety and revenue from sales, all in a short amount of time. Since that time, Hormel has introduced to the market several different varieties of Spam in order to continue and enhance Spam's popularity. What Exactly IS Spam? Spam is mainly comprised of pork shoulder, a portion of a pig that isn't very flavorful. Mixed with water and spices, though, pork shoulder creates a great canned meat product. Contrary to popular belief, Spam is NOT made from pig snouts, hooves, ground bone and cartilage, internal organs, or brains. Why the Public Criticism? If I could answer this for certain, I'd be a rich person. I can provide a couple of theories, however. Theory 1: "Spam again? Aw geez…" Picture this. You are a housewife of the 1940's. You are in charge of creating a tasty and nutritious yet satisfying meal, and your only available ingredients are Spam and some assorted non-rationed staples. What do you do? Should you serve Spam and toast for breakfast or creamed Spam over biscuits? Do you put cheese on your Spam sandwich for lunch today or just have Spam on bread with ketchup? And what about dinner? Is it fried Spam, baked Spam with noodles, or boiled Spam soup? No matter what you prepare, you are assured of only one thing - it's going to be received with groans of protest from kids sick and tired of Spam. And what about soldiers in the fields of battle? Would you look forward to having Spam back home when nearly every military issue ration included Spam? I think not. Okay, so I might be taking the analogy a tad too far. But there IS something to be said about variety being the spice of life. I know that people were a little more grateful during the war for necessities such as food, shelter, and clothing. However, with the end of WWII, I can completely understand why Americans wouldn't have been flocking to the stores to stock up on Spam once food rationing ended and other meat options became available. It only follows that children of that era would also continue their disdain for Spam into their adult years. Theory 2: "Just what IS that goo, anyway?" Spam's smell and appearance are characteristic of all canned meat products. That strange, pungent smell, coupled with the sight of pale, processed flesh, is enough to make even the strongest of stomachs churn momentarily. Particular to Spam is the strange, gelatinous, yellow goo coating the outside of the brick-shaped meat. Is that animal fat or an odd byproduct of canned meat processing? I don't think I want to know. Once the goo has been scraped and the brick sliced, it's time for cooking. The process of frying Spam produces an odor so thick and heavy that it permeates the house and lingers for days like an unwanted guest. In fact, 90% of all Spam eaters revisit their meal at night in their dreams because the smell tantalizes their subconscious noses. I would not lie to you about this. Really, I wouldn't. All I can say is that at least canned tuna fish and chicken resemble their unprocessed brethren. I have never seen a side of pork look like Spam. This is all just my opinion, of course - there may be people out there that find slimy, smelly canned meat products made from pig guts appetizing. Devil's advocate: "Okay, smarty pants! How do you know so much about Spam? Don't tell me that you've actually EATEN this stuff after such harsh criticism…" Uh…well… I have a confession. When I was young, I used to enjoy Spam and eggs on the weekends with my dad (my mother couldn't get passed the smell). Once Spam has been cooked, it's surprisingly tasty. In fact, Spam is more flavorful than any other canned meat product I've eaten. I might even be so bold as to state that Spam is better with scrambled eggs than either bacon or sausage. Of course, I could also say that my dad made me say that. No, really. *crossing fingers* In spite of my criticisms, here is a recipe including Spam that you might enjoy. Spameroni and Cheese INGREDIENTS 3 cups uncooked noodles (I prefer mini shells) 1 can Spam 2 tbsp. milk 2 tbsp. Water 2 tbsp. butter, cut into pieces ½ lb. Swiss cheese, grated ½ lb. pepper jack cheese, grated ¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese 1/8 cup breadcrumbs Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Prepare noodles as per instructions on box. Drain and set aside. Remove fat from Spam and cut into ½ inch cubes. Fry in frying pan until nicely browned on all sides. In a large covered baking dish, place milk and water in the bottom. Add 1/3 of the noodles to the dish. Top noodles with 1/3 of the Spam chunks, 1/3 of the Swiss and pepper jack cheeses, and 1/3 of the Parmesan cheese. Repeat the layers twice. Top with breadcrumbs. Heat covered for approximately 20-25 minutes. Remove lid and bake until breadcrumbs are crunchy. Serve with a side salad and beverage of choice. I recently read some Spam recipes posted by Epinions user chrisbickel that I might actually try (including the recommended beverage lists). If you're curious, the links for these recipes are listed below: Tequila Lime Spam, http://www.epinions.com/hmgd-review-1F1D-C323610-38B07533-prod5 Yummy Gyrostyle Spam, http://www.epinions.com/hmgd-review-7A7C-C1953E0-38B046B4-prod7 Delicious Bourbon Spam, http://www.epinions.com/hmgd-review-596C-C19305F-38B04659-prod7 Okay, okay - so Spam might not be completely hideous. But it will never be my first choice for a meal. * * * Information for this review was compiled from class notes from one of my history classes on recent American history and supported by the following website: http://www.cusd.claremont.edu/~mrosenbl/spam.html  |
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