"There are a lot of dishes in the world, from casseroles to pies. They all have their origins, but by far one of the most interesting is the history of SPAM Musubi. This dish is famous in Hawaii, looks like a weird sushi roll, and most can agree it's delicious. But what is it and where did it come from?" -- Elias Yuasa, EIGHTH Grade
There are a lot of dishes in the world, from casseroles to pies. They all have their origins, but by far one of the most interesting is the history of SPAM Musubi. This dish is famous in Hawaii, looks like a weird sushi roll, and most can agree it's delicious. But what is it and where did it come from? And what’s up with SPAM in general?
Well, SPAM has a lot of misconceptions surrounding it, but it’s actually quite simple. You see, SPAM currently stands for Sizzle, Pork, And Mmmmm. When it first came out it was believed to be a portmanteau of spiced ham and in some cases people have believed it to mean Scientifically Processed Animal Matter. It is believed by some to be Specially Processed American Meat and in rare cases Shoulder of Pork And Ham. However, Hormel Foods has since changed it for marketing purposes and it officially stands for sizzle, pork, and MMMMMMmm. It’s the first thing you’ll see if you look at the SPAM Website.
The second thing you’ll see is what it’s made of, which is also on the can. It’s just pork with ham, salt, water, potato starch, sugar, and sodium nitrate. So healthy, right? Gross or not, it’s become quite famous for a variety of reasons, one of the biggest being the huge following that SPAM Musubi has.
If you haven’t heard of SPAM Musubi, I'm sorry that you’ve had to live under a rock. SPAM Musubi is quite simple. SPAM Musubi is constructed out of rice, nori (dried seaweed), furikake (seasoning), and of course, SPAM in a teriyaki sauce. “SPAM Musubi is tasty because of the balance between the salty SPAM, the texture of the rice, and the sweet flavoring of the sauce," says Olivia Grippo, an 8th grade Asian American at Montera. “The rice dims down the strong saltiness of the SPAM and the sauce adds a special element, giving the musubi a pop.” So how did people come up with this genius idea?
Well, SPAM has a lot of misconceptions surrounding it, but it’s actually quite simple. You see, SPAM currently stands for Sizzle, Pork, And Mmmmm. When it first came out it was believed to be a portmanteau of spiced ham and in some cases people have believed it to mean Scientifically Processed Animal Matter. It is believed by some to be Specially Processed American Meat and in rare cases Shoulder of Pork And Ham. However, Hormel Foods has since changed it for marketing purposes and it officially stands for sizzle, pork, and MMMMMMmm. It’s the first thing you’ll see if you look at the SPAM Website.
The second thing you’ll see is what it’s made of, which is also on the can. It’s just pork with ham, salt, water, potato starch, sugar, and sodium nitrate. So healthy, right? Gross or not, it’s become quite famous for a variety of reasons, one of the biggest being the huge following that SPAM Musubi has.
If you haven’t heard of SPAM Musubi, I'm sorry that you’ve had to live under a rock. SPAM Musubi is quite simple. SPAM Musubi is constructed out of rice, nori (dried seaweed), furikake (seasoning), and of course, SPAM in a teriyaki sauce. “SPAM Musubi is tasty because of the balance between the salty SPAM, the texture of the rice, and the sweet flavoring of the sauce," says Olivia Grippo, an 8th grade Asian American at Montera. “The rice dims down the strong saltiness of the SPAM and the sauce adds a special element, giving the musubi a pop.” So how did people come up with this genius idea?
Well, in 1937, during the great depression, Hormel Foods released SPAM luncheon meat as an affordable source of sustenance. It was like the sequel to Hormel’s spiced ham from 1927. For a while it stayed like this, feeding families and being cheap but then World War II began and the SPAM brand really got going. With SPAM being able to last upwards of three years after its manufacturing date and being easy to store, it made the perfect rations. So, according to The Hawaii Plan, when pearl harbor was bombed America started to send troops and SPAM as rations to Hawaii.
Then once in Hawaii, Barbara Funamura, a Japanese American, took SPAM and put it in her onigiri (rice balls). It was a hit. After originally being a triangle, it eventually evolved into a rectangular shape, giving it the instantly recognisable look it has now, according to Nichi Bei News. The SPAM Musubi then stayed as a prominent food icon after the war leading the SPAM brand to evolve into what it is today.
Then once in Hawaii, Barbara Funamura, a Japanese American, took SPAM and put it in her onigiri (rice balls). It was a hit. After originally being a triangle, it eventually evolved into a rectangular shape, giving it the instantly recognisable look it has now, according to Nichi Bei News. The SPAM Musubi then stayed as a prominent food icon after the war leading the SPAM brand to evolve into what it is today.