tbelgian

I'm asking about the food product, Spam. Has anyone tried that spam/rice stuff that's for sale everywhere? My husband ate his fair share of the stuff while in Hawaii, but he'll eat anything. I'm not sure if he really liked it or he was just being in his Hawaiian mode. How has this come about as a counter snack in Hawaii? I also thought it was interesting the way there's boiled eggs for sale everywhere. Wow, who wants to have a boiled egg?

GoTravel

What is common where you live probably isn't common where someone else lives.

What you may think is weird is someone elses favorite thing to eat.

For example, I live in South Carolina and boiled peanuts are everywhere and I love eating them and eat them regularly.

My friends in New York City think that boiled peanuts are strange.

here_today_gone2Maui

Are you tlaking about Spam Musubi? As I have been told, during the occupation of Japan food was scarce and had it not been for the Spam distrubuted by American soldiers, many would have gone hungry. Spam musubi is just sushi made with spam. Understandably many Japanese of that era despise Spam, and I am told the military are more responsible for bringing this "delicacy", and Spam in general to Hawai`i.

And GoTravel, boiled peanuts are also quite popular in Hawai`i. I'm not sure of the history of that, though, but you can buy them everywhere. They sell them at the service deli at the supermarket.

As for the boiled eggs, that doesn't seem the least bit odd to me, since every 7-11 and Cirlce K, and many of the other markets in SoCal sells hard boiled eggs. Why is that so unusual? It's the ultimate fast food!

GoTravel

I LOVE boiled peanuts and there is nothing better with them than an ice cold coca cola in a glass bottle!

lcuy

Actually Spam musubi is a Hawaii invention. We've had exchange students from Japan and they are always fascinated by spam musubi!

Also Spam, eggs and rice is a breaksfast meal at McDonalds in Hawaii. Not good for the waistline, but Yummm!

dcespedes

Didn't Monty Python sing a song about Spam? Spam, Spam, Spam, Spam, Spam..... I like Spam, too--grew up eating Spam sliced on top baked beans w/pineapple baked in the oven--yummmmmm!

here_today_gone2Maui

lcuy, I was told that it came from occupied Japan, but it was brought by the solidiers, not the Japanese. I have one family member that has told us when he was in Japan during the occupation the Japanese became very resourceful using what was available, Spam, corn , other Western foods the military brought. But the Japanese basically hated this food and never adopted it. While the Japanese never developed a longlasting taste for Spam, he still eats Spam to this day.

lcuy

The spam was definitely eaten in Japan (and Hawaii)during WWII. It is the spam musubi that developed here in Hawaii. And thank goodness!!! I don't know how I would have survived as a mom on the soccer/field trip/girl scout days without it!

LN

Spam still sells quite well throughout the states. I'm not in love with it but once in awhile it's fine.

Every year in July the people on our marina dock sponsor a "Spam" cookoff. We've had as many as 40-50 entries and they've generally been well thought out and pretty tasty. Examples were "Spam chops" with the little panties of course; "Reuben sandwiches of Spam"; "Ravioli with Spam, spinach, and cheese filling"; and "Spam Sushi".

We have trophies for the winners, and wear Spam shirts for the occasion and it's a great time.

dgruzew

One of the reasons Spam is so prevalent in Hawaii (no matter how it originally got there) is its unbeliveable shelf life. Much of the food in hawaii is imported, so they stock pile this stuff just incase there is ever a problem with shippings lines. A long trip across the pacfic wont bother A can of spam and it does not need to be refrigerated like Ham or Pork. Hawaiians(and vistors) eat more food the they grow, raise or catch So spam is just an inexpensive source of food.

E

I was told--by whom, I've conveniently forgotten--that Spam's popularity in Hawaii has to do with its long shelf life, and with the fact that it's a pork product, and therefore reminiscent (ok, only slightly) of the roasted pork that is a traditional but very time-consuming to prepare Hawaiian dish.

MelissaHI

It has nothing to do with being pork or reminding us of a time consuming pork dish. Spam is on its own as a meal/snack product. It is great for its versatility as a salty meat--you can fry it with veggies or serve them up alongside eggs.

By the way, here's some more spam souvenirs I hope you took home:
http://starbulletin.com/2003/08/21/business/story4.html

And here's a good story on how we feel about it.
http://starbulletin.com/2003/10/01/features/story1.html

Spam musubi is great for soccer games, as lcuy notes. It's great to take while hiking, golfing, or on long drives to the North Shore.

And did you know it comes from pure pork shoulder?

Jayne11159

GoTravel

There is one thing better than boiled peanuts and an ice cold Coca Cola in a bottle--it's putting the peanuts in that ice cold bottle of Coca Cola and munching on them as you drain the bottle. Being from SC, you must know that's a GA thing! Just be careful that you don't choke on a peanut!

E

Yeah, but Melissa, why, then, is Spam so much more popular in HI than anywhere else? Sure, folks eat Spam all over these United States, but I've seen it on menus only in Hawaii. Oh, I'm just obsessed now with "why"!

Anonymous

Hawaiians are descendants of the Polynesian people who were cannibals and referred to human flesh as "long pig." So it's cultural nostalgia/soul food for them; an inbred taste.

Seriously, on most tropical islands it's surprisingly hard to raise any livestock other than pigs, and Spam has been the most common and affordable meat product, dating back to the pre-refrigeration days of canned-food imports. They just had fewer options than mainlanders.

Rusty

"On most tropical islands it's surprisingly hard to raise any livestock other than pigs". Why then is the Parker Ranch on the Big Island one of the biggest cattle ranches in the United States?

gyppielou

good one rusty!

curiousgeo

My dad grew up in the islands with spam but due to his army days dislikes it with a passion. He will eat it in a pinch but not really by choice.

While serving in WWII in Europe he and his buddies were sick of spam, so one day my dad walked up to a British tank, banged on the hatch and asked the crew if they wanted to trade rations. They traded all the corned beef tins they had, being as sick of corned beef as my dad's unit was of spam.

That night they found some onions and cooked up an enormous mound of corned beef with onions which they demolished. Too bad they didn't have any rice to go with it.

Anonymous

The Hawaiian Islands have 14 different sub-climate zones, from tropical to vineyards to the snow on top of Mauna Loa. *Most* tropical islands lack this variety and the Parker Ranch, now owned by a trust, certainly has a unique history.

lcuy

I think the fact that Spam was more readily available than fresh meat during WWII means that a lot of people here were raised eating spam. Our childhood foods are the foods we ususally love as adults, and our children continue the cycle. Same reason vegemite is loved in Australia, or haggis in Scotland, or for that matter, poi in Hawaii!
PS: Vienna sausage is also a big seller in Hawaii!