Spam Musubi, Obama's Hawaiian Lunch: History, Recipes, Video

On Sunday a New York Times pool reporter disclosed that Barack Obama ordered "spam musubi" for lunch during a golf outing in Hawaii.

Mainlanders may be unfamiliar with the local delicacy. According to the pool report, "spam musubi, a local luncheon specialty, consists of spam and a fried egg on a bed of rice, all held together with a dried seaweed wrap. (Visualize a very big sushi role, slightly larger than a Hostess Ho Ho.)"

Here's a little history on the Hawaiian love affair with Spam, sometimes referred to as "The Hawaiian Steak." According to Wikipedia, Hawaii consumes the most Spam per capita in the United States, and it was first introduced to the island during World War II.

Since fresh meat was difficult to get to the soldiers on the front, World War II saw the largest use of Spam. GIs started eating Spam for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. (Some soldiers referred to Spam as "ham that didn't pass its physical" and "meatloaf without basic training.") Surpluses of Spam from the soldiers' supplies made their way into native diets. Consequently, Spam is a unique part of the history and effects of U.S. influence in the Pacific.

If you're dying to taste this treat, check out this spam musubi recipe from SeriousEats.com or a spam musubi recipe from AllRecipes.com a spam musubi recipe from WhatsCookingAmerica.net.

-OR-

Watch this instruction video on the making of spam musubi:

Comments

[tora]

can't believe we're talking about this, but we grew up eating Spam thinking it was some delicatessen in America - we loved it.

[SeanLimbaugh]

Aloha from Honolulu-
Some of you mainlanders are hopeless with your Book'emDanno hulahula kamanawanaleia stereotypes. We've got a really great thing going here in Hawaii and spam musubi is just a little part of it. Hawaiian values of aloha, lokahi, ohana, pono, to name but a few, are a big part of the reason why Obama is who he is and why so many are stoked that he will lead us.
Enjoy island comedian Frank Delima's ode to spam musubi:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zn4rZe1lbgA
(video is lame, just enjoy the song)

Mau ke aloha no Hawaii

[greenchili]

Aloha,

The mainlanders will never understand or even respect the values of aloha, lokahi, ohana or pono. It is a lost cause on the mainland. If only, yeah?...Ba­rack Obama was raised in a special place, Hawaii. The values he was taught here will heal our nation from its illness. Obama no ka oi

Hang loose,

From the North shore on Maui.
Maui Digs Obama!

[SeanONe]

If any of that involves spam then you're damn right mainlanders will never understand it. Replace that muck with a thin slice of ham for sanitys sake.

[seal62]

Comments on spam??/I cant believe this is a topic but ok.The O man has spam,rice,i like my egg runny, in a seaweed wrap....de­lish.Spam has been on the tv for some time...and­rew zimmer cant eat it.

[Quaoar]

It sounds good but the fat content of spam screams angioplasty. Has anyone tried using low-fat spam and does it taste as good in Musubi?

[KarateKid]

I use the low salt, and it has plenty of salt. And, really, how many of these are you going to eat? It's not something I would eat every day. The slices for musubi are only about 1/4 inch thick, so we're not talking about a lot of Spam.

[BryantG]

The ultimate breakfast: A spam omlet, siome toast and a cup of coffee.

[Garrett123]

They used to eat cats during the war to you know but they STOPPED.

[KarateKid]

This article made me want to eat one, so I went to the store and bought a can, then came home and made one, the first one I've had in 21 years, when I moved from Hawaii. Man, was it good!!! I think I'll have another one tomorrow. Yummmmmmm.­........ :-D

[CUL8R]

I grew up eating Spam...sti­ll enjoy it every now and then!

[BryantG]

I grew up on Spam too and it's still one of my favorite comfort foods. David Shuster slammed Spam on his show today, which really ticked me off. He's obviously from the wrong side of the tracks.

[birchtree3]

and who dares mock Spam?
you? you? you are not worthy
of one rich pink morsel

Haiku by M. Lubic

[SunDriedTomato]

Loooove Spam musubi!
Spam is one of nature's most perfect foods! (grin)
Seriously, though, it's good stuff. Give it a try if you've never had it.

[JTHC75]

Yes, Spam musubi is quite tasty. It's generally the case that Spam is popular in any Asian country where the US military has been stationed. You'll find it consumed by Koreans, FIlippinos, Japanese, and others, with great gusto and great creativity.

You all can look down on it, but it's a sign of material decadence that you disdain a food that's rich in fat and protein and can be stored in any climate for long periods of time. In most poor places where obesity is not an issue, these are plusses. It's no coincidence that Spam is highly revered in places that are devastated by war. Spam was a fantastic delicacy for my parents when they were growing up because they lived in a bombed-out shell of a country; it was like manna from heaven for kids used to eating a few handfuls of rice every day. Even now they buy Spam because of all the good memories.

So celebrate Spam--it probably saved more lives than you or I ever will.

[Dunworkin]

I guess as kid growing up n the 40's and 50's i didn't realize only poor people like us ate spam and
bologna white gravy,but many days there was no meat so you soon learn to like spam.

[anelder]

Right on - years later my children loved spam and macaroni and cheese, admittedly light on the psam. Then when noticing grandma's fried bologna sandwich they were won over. Today thinly sliced spam on an egg sandwich does the job.

[Stephanie71]

My nephews love the stuff too. My parents babysit them once a week and my father having been born in 1941 is part of that SPAM generation. So they started eating spam with him. This year for Christmas I got them all SPAM t-shirts.

me- I find I don't like the spice in it. But I just don't like meat with apple pie spices in it.

Also, Anthony Bourdain had SPAM Musubi on his Hawaii episode and he loved the stuff.

[trudyjh]

What's bologna white gravy? We used to eat fried bologna cups with ketchup.

[Nan2008]

SPAM....it­s name describes it well.

[donbrown]

When i was living in California we had a club called the L.A. Hedonist Society (redundant, I know).

Once in a while we had a Poor Taste Potluck.

I made a Spam Quiche at one dinner, which was a conceptual hit—of course, no one actually ATE it

Here in Hawaii, it would be perfectly acceptable and gone in a flash!

[jerrypl]

There is nothing like a nice slab of Spam wrapped in Duct Tape with a white sponge. HUMMMM>

http://eye-on-washington.blogspot.com

[Snice]

Ha! Ha! Elitist. There isn't no "T" in duck tape......

[SuperMonkey53]

Yes, there is a "t".

[KarateKid]

LOL. But, do you know what was in that hot dog you ate recently?