In true Hawaiian form my son and I have decided to have a Spam Thanksgiving -- yes that's right, Spam, heaven in a can for Hawaiians. We don't eat a lot of Spam ourselves but Hawaiians consume nearly 6 million cans a year, or almost six cans for every man, woman, and child. Some call the gelatinous pink pork "Hawaii's soul food."
Spam worked its way into the hearts - and arteries - of Hawaiians during World War II. Fresh meat was scarce at the time, so civilians loaded up on the brand-name C ration well known to GIs. Needing no refrigeration, the proletarian pork product soon became one of three items islanders stock up on (along with toilet paper and rice) during threats of hurricanes, tsunamis, or dockworkers' strikes. More recently, McDonald's added Spam to its Hawaiian breakfast menu and every year the Hawaiian Spam tradition is celebrated at Spam Jam (the 6th annual Waikiki Spam Jam will be April 26, 2008).
Now living in central California, it's impossible to get the seaweed required for Spam masubis (which I love even though I have heartburn from them for three days) but I do have the Hawaii Spam cookbooks and decided to make Spam Fried Rice with the official recipe from Aloha Joe.
1 1/2 cup SPAM, diced
1 egg
1 TBS. Shoyu (soy sauce)
3 stalks green onion, chopped
Fry SPAM in a small quantity of oil in skillet. Lower heat and add rice. Mix egg and soy sauce and add to skillet. Stir everything around just like they do in Chinese restaurants. Just before serving add green onions.
With Hawaiian sweet potatoes and Polynesian pumpkin pie (my own recipes) we're bound to have a truly Aloha Thanksgiving!
Believe it or not, Spam Haiku is a very popular form of poetry. Here are some of my faves:
Above all others
porcine treat without equal
there is but one Spam
And who dares mock Spam?
you? you? you are not worthy
of one rich pink fleck
Like some spongy rock
A granite, my piece of Spam
In sunlight on my plate
Oh tin of pink meat
I ponder what you may be:
Snout or ear or feet?