Spam I Am


I was in Hawaii in January for a little week long vacay and made a conscious choice to eat Spam every day I was there.  Hold the phone! Did the supposed snobby food writer and wine tool just say he ate Spam for seven days straight? Yes. He. Did!

Spam, the canned meat product extraodinaire, has become a beloved staple for Hawaiians for over 70 years. It all started before WWII when folks in the military brought the “meat” to bases around the state because it was not only tasty, but convenient and it didn’t need to be refrigerated. Long after the war ended, Spam decided to stay.

Now I didn’t crack open a can and start gnawing away, I preferred my Spam in a more unique fashion. One of Hawaii’s great treasures is what is called “Spam Musubi”, basically a slice of Spam placed on hand shaped hunk of rice much like a piece of sushi wrapped in nori(seaweed). These little jewels can be found wrapped in plastic in every convenience store, grocery store, and roadside stand in every part of Hawaii. Famed LA chef and friend of Tony Bourdain, Roy Choi says his favorite musubi can be found at any 7-11.

Each morning I would stop by the ABC Store (a chain of ‘Stop and Robs’ throughout the islands) in the resort and get a musubi for breakfast. I would sit on the beach, sip my coffee, and chow down, loving every single bite. This particular musubi is served warm with a bit of a hoisin sauce glaze on the Spam with flecks of seaweed and sesame seeds in the rice. So freaking good!! I love it so much I have threatened to make it at home. Kelly just responds with, “Have at it Hoss. That’s all you.” Even our friends Paige and Nick wouldn’t join in. It’s all good, more for me.

In the culinary world, Spam musubi would not exactly be considered ‘daring cuisine’, most just think it sounds gross. Spam shouldn’t get such a bad wrap. I don’t foresee it becoming a menu staple in the country’s high end restaurants, and I doubt it will get an endorsement from Gabby and Laird any time soon, it’s something I get to enjoy every other year when we go to Hawaii. Give it a go. Aloha!

Ciao down,
Penn

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