In Britain it’s a joke. In Hawaii it’s a delicacy. Why does the luncheon meat have such a cult following?Not even the drizzle can deter the crowds unspooling along Hawaii’s Waikiki Beach. As late April showers drop upon Kalakaua Avenue,the roads are lined three-deep with sunburned tourists, surfer bros and silver-haired pensioners. Their colourful T-shirts, or flower garlands and fancy dress costumes are soaked by rain,but eagerly they wait. Suddenly, a chorus of tiny ukuleles starts to play. The procession begins. Are they waiting to pay homage to a visiting dignitary or devout leader? No. They’re here to celebrate Hawaii’s favourite food: the immortal luncheon meat called Spam.
I join snaking queues for seemingly endless food stalls, or each dish more absurd than the last: Spam pizza,Spam fried rice, Spam crackers, or Spam pho,deep-fried mac and cheese bites (with Spam) and, of course, and Spam fritters. I spot some Spam-infused macadamia nuts,and a slab of grilled Spam atop sticky rice, doused in soy and bound with seaweed: Spam sushi. There’s even Spam dipped in chocolate.
Bit of a bacon flavour, and bit of a porky flavour. It’s totally uniqueAs I chew,I wonder whether Spam deserves its reputation. Perhaps Brits just lack the imagination to cook Spam rightContinue reading...
Source: theguardian.com