Recession Proof Meat

I saw a report on the news tonight heralding one business that despite this devastating economy, is doing booming business. Sweet Jesus, they're actually hiring people because they have an increased demand in manufacturing. What can this recession proof product be? People, it's Spam.

You heard right. The ultra processed ham/pork/filler meat product squeezed into an oblong can is the recession meat of choice! Wal-Mart can't keep it on the shelf!

As incredible as it may seem, I've never been a connoisseur of this meat stuff, I''ve had it in various incarnations, mostly in Hawaii (where the population treats it as a local specialty along with poi, Opa and pineapple). I've tried it in omelets, sushi, breakfast meat sidebars and (unsuccessfully) lasagna. However, here on the mainland, it's enjoying a surprising resurgence.

When I think of Spam, I think of the stories my parents told about the US depression (that would be my father's perspective) and the rations of World War II in Britain (that would be my mother's view). They described it as a reasonably acceptable substitute for their three-square meal protein. They often couched this as a companion to powder eggs. It painted a rather dismal picture of people scraping for survival...not unlike Scarlett O'Hara digging into the barren ground of Tara for a scraggy turnip and being grateful for the nourishment. It ain't exactly an enticing portrayal of a voluntary foodstuff.

I recognize that there are advocates of this misunderstood processed meat. There are cook-offs and recipe contests and well, the Hawaiian people will keep it in business. But I pose the question to you all--is there some way this product can be utilized in a fashion that is actually appealing? If this economy continues to erode (and it is a horror show watching the trends which portend that possibility), will we be forced to fight over the last piece of sauteed Spam on the evening dinner table? And if we're willing to dismember a family member over a piece of rendered canned meat, will the concoction make that labor worthwhile?

I'd welcome your recipes. I may need them.