Ah, SPAM, that most inspiring of foods, nectar of the Gods, hero of the picnic table.

The deep, dark truth about Spam. Also some nifty trivia. Impress your friends and relatives!

Nifty Spam Trivia!

• By World War II, Hormel had sold twenty thousand tons of Spam. Then, during the wartime meat rationing, Spam got popular...
• If all the cans of Spam ever eaten were put end-to-end, they would circle the globe at least ten times.
• In the U.S. alone, 3.8 cans of Spam "are consumed every second"(assuming SPAM is eaten 24 hours a day, 365.25 days a year).
• Senator Robert Byrd of West Viginia eats a sandwich of SPAM and mayonnaise on white bread three times a week.
• Residents of Hawai'i eat an average of four cans of SPAM per person per year, more than in any other place on Earth (Elsewhere in the Universe, who knows?).
• By 1959, a billion cans of SPAM had been sold. The two billion mark was hit in 1970, followed by three billion in 1980, four billion in 1986, and five billion in 1993. That's a lot of SPAM!
• In Korea, SPAM is sold in stylish presentation gift boxes of nine cans each. SPAM stolen from army PXs can be found on the Korean black market. And there are Korean imitations called Lo-Spam, Dak, Plumrose, and Tulip, to ensure that no one need go without.
• Nikita Krushchev once credited SPAM with the survival of the WWII Russian army. ''Without SPAM, we wouldn't have been able to feed our army,'' he said.
• SPAM is sold in over 99% of U.S. grocery stores.
• The SPAM luncheon meat trademark is registered in 93 countries.
• Over 60 million people in the U.S. eat SPAM.
• SPAM is made in two U.S. locations - Austin, Minnesota, and Fremont, Nebraska - and seven other countries: England, Australia, Denmark, Phillipines, Japan, Taiwan, and South Korea.
• In 1989, the U.S. armed forces bought 3.3 million pounds of SPAM.
• Over 141 million cans of SPAM are sold worldwide each year.

What is Spam Made of?

Ingredients:

1. Chopped pork shoulder meat with ham meat added.
2. Salt (for binding, flavour, and firmness)
3. Water (to help in mixing)
4. Sugar (for flavour)
5. Sodium Nitrite (for colour and as a preservative)

Yum yum!

Nutrition Information For SPAM (original style):

1. Calories Per Serving: 170
2. Calories Per Serving From Fat: 140
3. Serving Size: 2 oz.
4. Servings Per Container: 6 (large) or 3.5 (small)
5. Total Fat: 16g
6. Saturated Fat: 6g
7. Cholesterol: 40mg
8. Sodium: 750mg
9. Total Carbohydrates: 0g
10. Fiber: 0g
11. Sugars: 0g
12. Proteins: 7g
13. Vitamin A: 0%
14. Vitamin C: 0%
15. Calcium: 0%
16. Iron: 2%

Deee-licious! Isn't that amazing? But it's all true!

The Spam Story

Hormel developed America's first canned ham (''Hormel Flavor-Sealed Ham'') in 1926, and eleven years later developed the first canned meat product that did not require refrigeration. It was a ''distinctive chopped pork shoulder and ham mixture'' developed by Jay C. Hormel, son of Hormel founder George A. Hormel, and marketed as ''Hormel Spiced Ham'' - not a terribly inspiring name for an innovative product fated to save lives, win wars, and balance diets of people world wide.

Hormel Spiced Ham got off to a slightly rocky start. Other meatpackers began to introduce their own canned luncheon meats, and Hormel lost its controlling share of the market. Soon, however, they came up with a cunning plan to rectify this situation - they would give Hormel's luncheon meat a truly catchy name. Toward this end, they offered $100 for a suitable appellation. The winning name was, of course, ''SPAM'', and a legend was born.

SPAM was launched with much high-profile advertising in mid-1937. It was called ''the Miracle Meat'', and promoted as an anytime meat. In 1940, SPAM was the subject of quite possibly the first singing commercial. The jingle was to the tune of the chorus of ''My Bonny Lies Over The Ocean'', and the lyrics were ''SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM/ Hormel's new miracle meat in a can/ Tastes fine, saves time./ If you want something grand,/ Ask for SPAM!''. Hormel also sponsored George Burns' and Gracie Allen's network radio show, which included ''Spammy the Pig''. During World War II, sales boomed. Not only was SPAM great for the military, as it required no refrigeration, it wasn't rationed as beef was, so it became a prime staple in American meals. SPAM supported the war effort more directly, too. Nikita Kruschev credits SPAM with the survival of the Russian Army during WWII. During the late 1940s and early 1950s, the Hormel Girls performing troupe advertised SPAM as they performed throughout the country, distributed SPAM door-to-door, and even had a national weekly radio show. Ads proclaimed, ''Cold or hot, SPAM hits the spot!''

In 1960, SPAM began to be sold in 7 oz cans alonside the original 12 oz ones. SPAM began to spawn variations in 1971, when smoke-flavored SPAM was introduced. Next came less salt/sodium SPAM, in 1986, and with it the honour of being considered ''state of the art in its industry'' by the Minnesota Association of Commerce and Industry." In the early 1990s, SPAM Breakfast Strips were introduced, as was SPAM lite.

What now awaits us on the SPAM front? Only time (and possibly Hormel) will tell.

COOKING WITH SPAM

Spam a L'orange


One box Macaroni and Cheese

One can SPAM

One cup Tang



Make one box of Macaroni and Cheese. Mix with one can SPAM and one cup Tang. Enjoy!
Spam Fettuccine Primavera


Makes 6 to 8 servings.

1 tablespon butter or margarine
2 tablespoons flour
1-1/2 cups skim milk
1/2 cup lower-sodium chicken broth
1-1/2 teaspoons dried basil
12 ounces fettuccine
1 can (12 ounces) Spam Lite Luncheon Meat, cut into
julienne strips
1 package (16 ounces) frozen broccoli, carrot and
cauliflower combination, cooked and drained
2/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

To make sauce:  In small saucepan, melt butter or
margarine.  Stir in flour.  Cook, stirring, for 1
minute.  Stir in milk, chicken broth and basil.  
Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, until thickened.
Keep warm.

To cook pasta:  In 5-quart saucepan, cook fettuccine
according to package directions.  Drain.  Return to
saucepan.

To finish:  Stir in Spam, vegetables and sauce.  Cook,
stirring, over medium heat until thoroughly heated.  
Stir in parmesan cheese.


It's SPAMsational!