# The SPAM thread **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 20, 2010, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-spam-thread/543910 "2010-06-20T21:49:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![jackdavinci](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackdavinci/32/3259_2.png) [@jackdavinci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackdavinci)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2010, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-spam-thread/543910/41 "2010-06-21T04:07:31Z")
I used to be afraid of Spam for some reason. But whereas things like sardines still creep me out, I’ve lost my irrational fear of Spam. My ex used to make a chicken and rice dish for me with cut up Spam. And of course when I vacationed in Hawaii I made sure to have one of their breakfast eggs and Spam dishes (Hawaiians like their Spam). It basically just spiced salty ham. It’s not terribly different from a breakfast sausage patty. I like it. I believe it can be eaten out of the can, though of course it is precooked so you can’t really call that “raw”. It would be like eating a deli meat or a room temperature hot dog. I think it’s best chopped up and “cooked” (warmed) in rice or eggs. Some spam trivia: • A friend of mine in college relayed this poem to me: > [@](#): > > Some say that it’s brown and it comes in a can > It’s leaner than beef, and cheaper than ham > When put on a plate it is often devoured > I have not tried Spam, for I am a coward • There is an annual Spam carving contest • In the famous Monty Python skit, although the frustrated dining customer is increasingly exasperated by the seeming lack of a dish without Spam, if you pay attention, at the very beginning the proprietor _does_ actually mention a dish without Spam. This skit is also the origin of the term ‘spam’ in reference to unwanted email, because of the excessive and irritatingly amusing use of the word “Spam”. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2010, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-spam-thread/543910/42 "2010-06-21T04:32:16Z")
I also like it lightly fried in sandwiches [rye bread, lettuce, slice of good cheddar cheese and some mustard] Cubed and in omelets or scrambled eggs, in ‘farmers breakfast’ [diced pork product, cooked leftover potatoes, eggs and grilled tomato] or in hash[think corned beef hash just spam instead of corned beef] It is one of those odd comfort foods, sort of like fried bologna sandwiches, something I do perhaps once a year or so. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2010, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-spam-thread/543910/43 "2010-06-21T04:44:07Z")
I know someone who grew up with fried spam served with canned creamed corn “gravy” for dinner. I think you have to have grown up with spam to appreciate it. It tastes awful to me, although marginally better fried. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2010, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-spam-thread/543910/44 "2010-06-21T05:20:52Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > It does get saltier when fried. I’ll bet I could get through a whole package of bacon if I wanted to, but I can’t eat more than a couple of slices of fried SPAM with a couple of fried eggs. > > Waffles, eh? I wonder how fried SPAM would taste with maple syrup? If I try it, I’ll let you know. I do know that maple syrup goes well with salty, spicy, sausage; so we’ll have to see how Spam compares. ---
**Author:** ![Darryl\_Lict](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7cd45c/32.png) [@Darryl\_Lict](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darryl_Lict)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2010, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-spam-thread/543910/45 "2010-06-21T05:21:05Z")
Spam and kimchee fried rice. Delicious Korean comfort food! ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2010, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-spam-thread/543910/46 "2010-06-21T05:35:25Z")
> [@jackdavinci](#): > > • There is an annual Spam carving contest. Sponsored by Ruby Montana’s in Seattle. I have several t-shirts from various competitions. ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2010, 7:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-spam-thread/543910/47 "2010-06-21T07:25:58Z")
> [@Wile\_E](#): > > I used to love Vienna sausages as a kid, we always had them in the house. Could eat them hot or cold. Then didn’t eat them for a long time, went vegetarian for a while. Decided to buy some for emergency hurricane rations a few years ago. Not long after I was hungry and there was nothing else in the house, so I opened it. I could only manage to eat one. The dog thoroughly enjoyed the rest. I don’t think spam would be much better. I think there’d have to be a real emergency for me to eat it or Vienna sausages. I used to love Underwood’s canned deviled ham, even as a young adult. I quit eating it for a couple of decades, then saw it on a shelf when I was buying some canned tuna and picked up a couple of cans. Yeccchhh! Salty, greasy, and peppery. I don’t know if they changed the recipe, or my taste changed, or both, but it’s no longer an enjoyable treat for me. As I said earlier, Spam does improve in taste if it’s at least warmed up, and preferably if it’s fried. I think that it does have too much seasoning in it and fat in it, though. YMMV. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2010, 7:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-spam-thread/543910/48 "2010-06-21T07:56:14Z")
> [@Lynn\_Bodoni](#): > > Quote: > Originally Posted by Wile E View Post > I used to love Vienna sausages as a kid, we always had them in the house. Could eat them hot or cold. Then didn’t eat them for a long time, went vegetarian for a while. Decided to buy some for emergency hurricane rations a few years ago. Not long after I was hungry and there was nothing else in the house, so I opened it. I could only manage to eat one. The dog thoroughly enjoyed the rest. I don’t think spam would be much better. I think there’d have to be a real emergency for me to eat it or Vienna sausages.I used to love Underwood’s canned deviled ham, even as a young adult. I quit eating it for a couple of decades, then saw it on a shelf when I was buying some canned tuna and picked up a couple of cans. Yeccchhh! Salty, greasy, and peppery. I don’t know if they changed the recipe, or my taste changed, or both, but it’s no longer an enjoyable treat for me. > > As I said earlier, Spam does improve in taste if it’s at least warmed up, and preferably if it’s fried. I think that it does have too much seasoning in it and fat in it, though. YMMV. I think they actually did change some recipes for vienna sausages, potted meats and the like. I also used to eat potted meats and vienna sausage when much younger, and then tried it again after 2000 to use up some that we had picked up sort of randomly as durable food goods in case of the Y2K bug kicking in. The dog enjoyed them shortly thereafter. Spam seems to have stayed the same, except I do not like the lite, sodium reduced and turkey spams. ---
**Author:** ![Geek\_Mecha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecae2f/32.png) [@Geek\_Mecha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Geek_Mecha)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2010, 10:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-spam-thread/543910/49 "2010-06-21T10:40:17Z")
For our anniversary, we had a very low-key celebration. My boyfriend came over with a DVD, and I cooked us lemon chicken and fried rice. The fried rice had Spam, bacon, and eggs in it. I laughed at his plate as we were cleaning up-- he had carefully eaten around every chunk of Spam. That must’ve taken effort in the dark. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2010, 12:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-spam-thread/543910/50 "2010-06-21T12:02:14Z")
1 can Spam 1 8oz package cream cheese 2 tablespoons ketchup 1 or 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce 1 teaspoon lemon juice cayenne pepper to taste Mince the spam with a fork and then stir all by hand (if you’re my mom) or use a handmixer (if you’re me). Spread on one slice of bread, cover with more bread. Opinions in my family vary on whether it’s best fresh or chilled. I prefer chilled. Opinions also vary as to whether Lite Spam is an abomination unto the heavens. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2010, 12:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-spam-thread/543910/51 "2010-06-21T12:07:12Z")
> [@Spoons](#): > > Thanks to all who have posted here. I’ve only had Spam once in my life (in a simple sandwich, as **Johnny** described), and I rather liked it. Because I enjoyed that sandwich, I got a tin of it the other day, but since I’m unlikely to eat a whole tin in one sandwich, I am flummoxed as to what else I could do with it. I like an occasional spam sandwich with mustard, lettuce, and tomato. The leftover will keep perfectly fine in a baggie or plastic wrap for a few days. (In the fridge.) ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2010, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-spam-thread/543910/52 "2010-06-21T13:30:56Z")
> [@](#): > > Opinions also vary as to whether Lite Spam is an abomination unto the heavens. Most Lite variations of anything are an abomination unto the heavens. ---
**Author:** ![Judith\_Prietht](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b19c9b/32.png) [@Judith\_Prietht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Judith_Prietht)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2010, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-spam-thread/543910/53 "2010-06-21T14:04:25Z")
Spam Lite is the only Spam I buy, as I prefer to fry my Spam in a bit of shoyu. Regular Spam tastes so salty to me now. I have Bacon Spam and Garlic Spam at home, but haven’t yet come around to cooking them up. I should have another 2 years to decide. ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2010, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-spam-thread/543910/54 "2010-06-21T14:32:50Z")
An old roommate of mine was from the home town of Spam in Minnesota. He said every year they had “Spam Days” wherein one could find spam being used for any and all purposes on this planet. Spam’s OK. But like others, I can just get some precooked ham from the luncheon meats for about the same price. The invulnerability of Spam is really it’s only advantage to me. I’d post some Spam links, except that it doesn’t come in links. Just cans. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2010, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-spam-thread/543910/55 "2010-06-21T15:37:32Z")
> [@Geek\_Mecha](#): > > I cooked us lemon chicken and fried rice. The fried rice had Spam, bacon, and eggs in it. I… he had carefully eaten around every chunk of Spam. Sounds like you need a new boyfriend. One that trusts your cooking. ---
**Author:** ![Wile\_E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c37758/32.png) [@Wile\_E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wile_E)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2010, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-spam-thread/543910/56 "2010-06-21T18:01:12Z")
> [@Lynn\_Bodoni](#): > > I used to love Underwood’s canned deviled ham, even as a young adult. I quit eating it for a couple of decades, then saw it on a shelf when I was buying some canned tuna and picked up a couple of cans. Yeccchhh! Salty, greasy, and peppery. I don’t know if they changed the recipe, or my taste changed, or both, but it’s no longer an enjoyable treat for me. > > As I said earlier, Spam does improve in taste if it’s at least warmed up, and preferably if it’s fried. I think that it does have too much seasoning in it and fat in it, though. YMMV. In our family Underwood Deviled Ham was a rare treat. The can was too small and didn’t feed enough of us. I think my mom prefered to keep it all to herself so she either hid it or just didn’t buy it much. Instead of spam we usually just got cheap canned ham, spam was too fancy. We got that thin meat in a jar every so often, too, potted meat food product? ---
**Author:** ![PlainJain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5daacb/32.png) [@PlainJain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PlainJain)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2010, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-spam-thread/543910/57 "2010-06-21T18:46:59Z")
That reminds me, we used to have some potted meat product sometimes. I think it was called braunschweiger or something like that. I’m remembering I liked it… But I was a kid then. ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2010, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-spam-thread/543910/58 "2010-06-21T18:57:37Z")
> [@Wile\_E](#): > > In our family Underwood Deviled Ham was a rare treat. The can was too small and didn’t feed enough of us. I think my mom prefered to keep it all to herself so she either hid it or just didn’t buy it much. Instead of spam we usually just got cheap canned ham, spam was too fancy. We got that thin meat in a jar every so often, too, potted meat food product? Treet was a Spam knock-off, I think. And that thin meat in a jar was probably dried beef. ---
**Author:** ![TWDuke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e495f1/32.png) [@TWDuke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TWDuke)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2010, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-spam-thread/543910/59 "2010-06-21T19:44:04Z")
I guess Hormel calls it dried beef, but I remember it as chipped beef or, when served with gravy on toast, shit on a shingle. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2010, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-spam-thread/543910/60 "2010-06-21T20:06:41Z")
> [@PlainJain](#): > > That reminds me, we used to have some potted meat product sometimes. I think it was called braunschweiger or something like that. Negative. Braunscheiger is wonderful liver sausage. Potted Meat Products is inedible, and should probably have the ‘Meat’ in quotes. . [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-spam-thread/543910.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-spam-thread/543910.md?page=4)