Would you eat spam? Burger King puts Spam on the menu.

[Rob43]

HONOLULU — For many Americans, spam is a four-letter word for unwanted e-mail. In Hawaii, Spam is a beloved comfort food, with cans of the pork bricks found in virtually every cupboard.
Hoping to cash in on Hawaii's love affair with the canned meat product, Burger King (BKC) last month began offering Spam for breakfast — going head-to-head with rival McDonald's (MCD), which has offered Spam in the islands for years.

Burger King is offering the Spam Platter — two slices of Spam with white rice and scrambled eggs. The fast-food giant also offers the Croissanwich or Biscuit Sandwich with Spam.

Denise Yamauchi, Burger King managing director in Hawaii, says sales have been "very good and very promising."

Putting Spam on the menu, alongside Burger King's traditional items, such as the Whopper, has been in the works about a year, and corporate headquarters finally signed off on the idea.

"It's something that was a little unique and a little different for them, so it was a bit of a hard sell to bring to Hawaii," Yamauchi said. "But they finally realized it is a unique flavor and something the locals really like."

At a Burger King near downtown Honolulu, where a poster in the window proudly advertises "Spam in the A.M.," the Spam Platter was selling for $3.49. The nearly identical Spam, Eggs and Rice plate across the street at McDonald's was $3.39.

Melanie Okazaki, marketing manager for McDonald's Restaurants of Hawaii, said Spam has been offered at the chain's 75 island restaurants since 2002.

"In Hawaii, it is a very popular menu item, and we will continue to offer it to our customers," she said.

Burger King's latest offering runs counter to the chain's push to offer healthier fare, including salads and the meatless BK Veggie Burger. But no one can deny Hawaii's appetite for Spam.

Despite being one of the least-populated states, Hawaii leads the nation in consumption of the Hormel Foods (HRL) product. It's been a hit since World War II. Island residents consume more than 5 million pounds of Spam a year, an average of about six cans for every man, woman and child.

Spam "musubi" — a slice of Spam atop a block of rice, wrapped in seaweed — is a favorite at nearly every convenience store, including 7-Eleven. And Spam fried rice is a local classic.

There are more varieties of Spam sold in Hawaii than anywhere else. There's Spam Garlic, Spam Bacon, Spam with Cheese, Spam with Tabasco, Spam Turkey and Spam Lite, which features less sodium and less fat.

"We're pleased to see more and more restaurants adding it to their menu, providing Hawaiians additional opportunities to experience the savory, salty-sweet taste they love," said Dan Goldman, Spam's product manager.

Are you a Spam fan? What's your favorite Spam recipe?

Burger King puts Spam on the menu - USATODAY.com (http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/food/2007-06-11-bk-spam_N.htm)

[xMenace]

Monty Python - Spam - Google Video (http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=5627694446211716271&q=spam)

[princesslinda]

I HATE SPAM!!!...both canned and on the computer! My parents must have really loved it...I remember having it with eggs for b/fast, sliced and baked for dinner, on a bun like a hamburger and chopped in hash....:eek: Never want to eat it again.

[Penny]

I love it! I would eat it often if it was not so fatty. I take a can in the car though when we travel, along with crackers, just in case we have trouble finding a place or time to eat.

[notme]

I have to admit, I would eat it as a kid. Now I know better. LOL


For those of you who are curious:

The deep, dark truth about Spam.

Ingredients:
Chopped pork shoulder meat with ham meat added.
Salt (for binding, flavour, and firmness)
Water (to help in mixing)
Sugar (for flavour)
Sodium Nitrite (for colour and as a preservative)
Yum yum!

Nutrition Information For SPAM (original style):
Calories Per Serving: 170
Calories Per Serving From Fat: 140
Serving Size: 2 oz.
Servings Per Container: 6 (large) or 3.5 (small)
Total Fat: 16g
Saturated Fat: 6g
Cholesterol: 40mg
Sodium: 750mg
Total Carbohydrates: 0g
Fiber: 0g
Sugars: 0g
Proteins: 7g
Vitamin A: 0%
Vitamin C: 0%
Calcium: 0%
Iron: 2%

[Penny]

I know Nancy, I know! :D But it tastes so good and look, no carbs! That's why I don't eat it more than once a year, maybe, but have it in the car because it won't spoil. Alright, I will take peanut butter, instead! :(

[princesslinda]

Nancy...it's not the salt, water, sugar and sodium nitrate I fear...it's the pork shoulder and whatever those speckled "gummy" things you see on the surface...not to mention that distinctive "spammy" taste...what memories that brings forth.

Give me a Twinkie any day (you can tell where my cravings are at the moment!)

Penny, you go right ahead and have your Spam and crackers...life is short and if you enjoy it on the occasional long car trip...go for it! It has ZERO carbs..

[trailrunner]

I love spam! we ate it all the time as children. I haven't had it since I've been married. I think it's high time to introduce my children to spam!

[Cyborg]

Nancy...it's not the salt, water, sugar and sodium nitrate I fear...it's the pork shoulder and whatever those speckled "gummy" things you see on the surface...not to mention that distinctive "spammy" taste...what memories that brings forth.

Give me a Twinkie any day (you can tell where my cravings are at the moment!)

Penny, you go right ahead and have your Spam and crackers...life is short and if you enjoy it on the occasional long car trip...go for it! It has ZERO carbs..

Pork shoulder is good stuff! It's what they make pulled pork from...

[valc3]

I'm with Penny. Spam is good.

[notme]

Alright, I will go into gross detail. I used to cook it on the stove in a frying pan till it was almost burnt and eat it. Oh gack...what was I thinking.

Yes Penny, from now on it is peanut butter and jelly. LOL

[princesslinda]

Pork shoulder is good stuff! It's what they make pulled pork from...

Pulled pork I can handle...pulled pork in a little square block with gel around it, that's something else altogether. :T However, I have no aversion to pork rinds...makes spam seem totally tame when you think about it.

[shabbie6247]

my local fish and chip shop sells spam deep fried in batter!!!

:puke: :puke: :puke: :puke:

they also sell deep fried snicker and mars bars!

now your talking!!!

[princesslinda]

mmmmm deep fried snickers bars....i'll bet they could deep fry a Twinkie for me as well....just no spam!

[notme]

I think I need a Lipitor or something.......

[shockme]

as a kid,i loved spam.as an adult-ICK!like princess linda said-those speckled "gummy"things just gross me out.i have no idea what they are and i probably don't want to know!!trish

[shockme]

john-thanks for posting the link to that video!when i 1st saw the news report today,the "spam song"popped into my head!trish

[Cyborg]

Yes, the Spam Song (http://www.mailmsg.com/sounds/spam-song.wav)... :whistling

[Penny]

Yes, the Spam Song (http://www.mailmsg.com/sounds/spam-song.wav)... :whistling

Now I hate Spam....the song anyway! :biggrin:

[notme]

Wow.... SPAM should be a Broadway Musical! That song makes it sound a lot better than it is!

Not a real "catchy" tune. :whistling

[sleepy_hound]

I'm first generation Chinese and grew up on Spam fried rice for breakfast. Or we'd have steamed Spam with green onions over rice. If you go to your local Asian grocery store, I bet you would see Spam on the shelves! And not just the name brand stuff...they have Asian brands of the same gelatinous meat byproduct!

I have fond memories of the the special Spam key and trying to open the can!

[HiImDan]

http://bestsmileys.com/puking/1.gif

[jenet]

I hadn't thought about Spam (or had it) in ages, I'm not sure why but I'm vaguely surprised Spam is still around. When we were kids, a favorite treat for dinner was a slice of Spam fried with a Dole pineapple ring on top - one for each of us. Must be why I like "hawaiian" pizzas (canadian bacon and pineapple) today. :)

cheers,
j

[sweetcheeks]

I will occasionally eat it, but not often. I will only eat it fried or heating if you call it on the stove with a little mayo and between two pieces of bread.....

other than that... nah... I do like it but just not often. However it is a good cheap breakfast meat that I grew up on.

Havnt you ever watched 50 first dates!?? lol

Spam and eggs with reeses peanut butter cups lmao (not!)

[volleyball]

I lived for years in Hawaii. The menu for Mickey D's and the King were different at least in the non tourist spots. You could get poi.
spam is not bad. I got into it when I was there. If you wash off the gelatin, you're left with a big chunk of pork. Who wants to cook an entire pork shoulder just to get a little meat and with the weather who wants to have the oven running that long. Spam keeps in the cupboard, not the freezer and it's a long trip to Hawaii from the mainland. You eat ground beef but not ground pork, what's next?, no ground turkey.
I haven't had spam in a long time, just grew out of it. So I am not a fanatic but spam is something a lot of people love to hate and they don't know why as they have not had it ever or for such a long time.
To think twinkees are better is just funny, I assume it was a joke. PB is great but it gets old.

[bryan42]

:eek: Its best if its cooked at 1000 degrees in a kiln, then you can use them as patio brickpavers! You put them side by side,and you wont have any trouble getting them to "meat" :D

[Larry H.]

A friend of mines wife slices and fies up a bunch of Spam and serves it with mustard on rye bread.. Very tasty, but due to my cholestrol issues I don't eat much of it..

[Barbara5]

I remember many years ago my dear Mom would make a boiled dinner with it. Cabbage, carrots, potatoes and maybe some tirnip and then she would put the spam into the pot. We got to have more veggies than spam but it was gooood!
Barbara

[princesslinda]

[QUOTE=volleyball;231200]
To think twinkees are better is just funny, I assume it was a joke. QUOTE]


Unfortunately, no joke...it's the "forbidden" food I miss most:( .... maybe if diabetics weren't allowed to have Spam?....naw, STILL wouldn't want it!:T

[aeromarv]

Used it a lot on camping trips. Needs no refrigeration, can eat it right out of the can if needed. I never ate it raw though, liked to slice it thin and fry to a crispy "bacon-esque" quality. Tasted great!

[GhostRydr]

I like spam and have it as part of my camping meal for one breakfast now and again. Fried with eggs with some onion added is a nice meal :D

[JungleJim]

Used it a lot on camping trips. Needs no refrigeration, can eat it right out of the can if needed. I never ate it raw though, liked to slice it thin and fry to a crispy "bacon-esque" quality. Tasted great!

After you're done frying it, don't forget the all important "spam gravy"! Made it on a old coleman stove in Glacier National Park on a trip when I was 16 ( Circa 1978 ).

Amazing that I can remember that like yesterday and now sometimes I'll walk out to my shop and forget what I went there to get!!

[andypoo]

Are you kidding,I started that whole string about fryed bolognie,so you know I love fryed Spam LOL. Fry it ,get it crunchy around the edges,and if you're really daring put a slice of american cheese,let it melt,slice up a tomato and an onion, toast the bread ,and there you go! pure bliss!

[notme]

**** you guys knew all of my bad habits!!! :T