SPAM

[skydiver386]

This is the best hunting food story I've ever heard. Randy Newberg and the New Mexico 5 alarm chili! The good part starts at about the 15 minute mark.

 

[Tintin]

While we're sharing Spam videos

 

[NDWoods]

I grew up with slim pickings and then married a Hawaiian. I like SPAM and have been eating it since I was a kid.

Musubi is where it shines. I take a few Musubi in my pack when hunting in Hawaii.

Edit: I was a Vienna sausage lover for much of my childhood on fishing and hunting trips with my grandpa. I think it must have been much cheaper than SPAM if that is what we were eating.

 

[Velo Dog]

I would never had guessed Alaska as being a high consumer of Spam? Any idea how that took place.

Sometimes it can literally a life savor. Once fell thru a beaver dam and got soaked, fortunately I had hot water in my tent then Top Ramen spam chunks.

Lon

Hello again Lon,

To answer your question about so many Alaskans eating Spam, my best guesses are that perhaps the US Military brought it here by the tons, during WW-II ?
That would’ve made it plentiful and maybe sold at cheap surplus prices, as the war ended ?
Last but not least, perhaps due to its high fat content, Spam is popular in the extra long and extra cold wintertime of Alaska.

Where were you when you fell through the ice, … USA ? Canada ?
I have fallen through the ice more than once, while hiking to my Cabin, on Little Willow Creek, north of Anchorage.

Fortunately I knew the foot trail well, over the years that I walked it and always crossed all ice covered waters where I knew it was shallow underneath.
So, my thin ice experiences were not especially remarkable.

And Ramen ya, another favorite of mine when traveling light.
Spam chunks in it really ties the main course together, does it not.

Anyway, Cheers for now,
Paul.

 

[Tokoloshe Safaris]

Hello again Lon,

To answer your question about so many Alaskans eating Spam, my best guesses are that perhaps the US Military brought it here by the tons, during WW-II ?
That would’ve made it plentiful and maybe sold at cheap surplus prices, as the war ended ?
Last but not least, perhaps due to its high fat content, Spam is popular in the extra long and extra cold wintertime of Alaska.

Where were you when you fell through the ice, … USA ? Canada ?
I have fallen through the ice more than once, while hiking to my Cabin, on Little Willow Creek, north of Anchorage.

Fortunately I knew the foot trail well, over the years that I walked it and always crossed all ice covered waters where I knew it was shallow underneath.
So, my thin ice experiences were not especially remarkable.

And Ramen ya, another favorite of mine when traveling light.
Spam chunks in it really ties the main course together, does it not.

Anyway, Cheers for now,
Paul.

Hi Paul,

NearTrappers lake Buford Co. Fortuately I had my old paint hunting horse who I followed to my spike camp holding his tail. I never thought or didn’t get on and ride.

Maybe Alaskans are just smart.
Lon

 

[Tokoloshe Safaris]

Back in those days, there was a canned ham and chicken, I believe the brand name was Dak from Denmark. Again mixed with top Ramen.

 

[rookhawk]

After 3 pages, I can’t say anything on here sounded objectionable to eat. Well, nothing but the Miracle Whip comment…a bridge too far for me.

If any of you survived on $0.14 a pack Ramen in the 80s and 80s, I’m here to tell you it’s improved significantly since those halcyon days. Just bought a case at Costco to use for stir fry noodles when it isn’t a soup.

 

[Tokoloshe Safaris]

After 3 pages, I can’t say anything on here sounded objectionable to eat. Well, nothing but the Miracle Whip comment…a bridge too far for me.

If any of you survived on $0.14 a pack Ramen in the 80s and 80s, I’m here to tell you it’s improved significantly since those halcyon days. Just bought a case at Costco to use for stir fry noodles when it isn’t a soup.

Best foods mayonnaise in small amounts. SOS (chipped beef) on toast, just one more time.

 

[wesheltonj]

Back in those days, there was a canned ham and chicken, I believe the brand name was Dak from Denmark. Again mixed with top Ramen.

Never bought Dak canned anything, but I did buy a lot their salami. I wish I could still find it.

 

[Velo Dog]

Hi Paul,

NearTrappers lake Buford Co. Fortuately I had my old paint hunting horse who I followed to my spike camp holding his tail. I never thought or didn’t get on and ride.

Maybe Alaskans are just smart.
Lon

From about 7 - 10 years of age, Colorado is a place that I spent 4 summers in (Boulder / Estes Park) while my father went to summer classes at the local College.
I liked it way more than Los Angeles, (heavy air pollution / “smog” was common then).
I was born and lived down in South/Central L.A. until beginning high school up in Sacramento.
(And I didn’t like the beastly HOT summers, up in the Sacramento Valley).
If I would’ve been born and raised in Colorado or any of the Rocky Mountain states, instead of Soviet California, I might not have been motivated to flee up to Alaska.

RE: Your horse pulling you back to camp was a good thing.
Keeping yourself moving probably kept your core temperature from dropping too low, (sitting stationary in the saddle).
My experiences with serious horse and mule people is that they tend to have more common sense than most folks I’ve rubbed elbows with, including myself sometimes.

Spam:
My father had been in the US Army (101st. Airborne) and fell in love with Spam during the War years.
Therefore, we ate it at home throughout my childhood.
Due to my advanced age (71) and no longer exercising as much these days, I don’t eat it very often any more.

But I still enjoy it, as previously mentioned, especially as “Musubi”, particularly for breakfast, as myself or anyone would otherwise enjoy a somewhat traditional USA favorite, the egg & bacon breakfast sandwich.

Alaskans smarter ?
Yours truly has made some of my most epic blunders while residing in Alaska so, count me out.

There is a smile-worthy little parlor tune type of song here about this Alaska mindset thing.
The chorus is:

“Spring time, Winter time, Autumn and Summer.
Every time anybody does something dumb, an Alaskan does something dumber”.

Cheers.

 

[Badjer]

 

[Tokoloshe Safaris]

Spamalopes, my first good laugh of the day.

 

[cajunchefray]

Spam is/was a staple food in the military. We rated it slightly higher than powder eggs, liver, and C-rats.

We did have some really good recipes for Spam as a substitute. What we called field arderves:

Cracker, mustard or mayonnaise, thin slice Spam, thin slice cheese, thin slice piece of tomato or olive or pickle.

Substitute a slice of bread for the cracker, cut the bread into 4 squares or triangles.

Then we discovered Treat. Back then; less fat, less other ingredients, better taste, half the costs.

---------------Just Something To Consider-----------------

Constantly kept "emergency rations/food supply" in my vehicle: [often doubles as camp supplies for those spur of the moment unplanned or extended hunting trips] [ kept neatly in a small pack, kids school backpack]

2 cans of treat
2 cans of pork n beans
4 packs of ramen noodles
2 cans spaghetti and meatballs
1 box of cheese crakers
6 (minimum) 25 oz bottles of water
1 small jar instant coffee
8 packs of hot chocolate
1 box of granola bars
1 GI issue canteen cup
4 each plastic spoons, knives, and forks
1 each metal spoon, fork, and knife
1 pack of wet wipes
Various quantities of packets of salt, pepper, sauces.

That’s a useful list.
Post Hurricane Katrina, I quickly learned what one can eat and subsist on.

 

[Tanks]

Interesting topic. I always keep some Spam and cans of beans in the cupboard for emergencies. Comes in handy when we arrive home late at night from a trip without a grocery run.

 

[Ryan]

One of the great episodes of MASH

Radar ships a real lamb out as "Private Charles Lamb" . And they replace it with the SPAM Lamb

 

[fourfive8]

Holding a horse’s tail for climbing steep trails works! Easier on the horse and the rider. Many experienced mtn horses are used to it. I’ve done it a bunch.

During my early grade school years, a can of Vienna sausages common in my lunch sack or occasionally “potted meat”… which I think is same thing as Vienna sausages where they came apart in the extruder then simply canned and renamed
- same size and shape can

I remember my dad usually packed a can of spam for our camping trips. He grew up in the Depression.

 

[fourfive8]

Hi Paul,

NearTrappers lake Buford Co. Fortuately I had my old paint hunting horse who I followed to my spike camp holding his tail. I never thought or didn’t get on and ride.

Maybe Alaskans are just smart.
Lon

Beautiful part of CO. One of my favorite areas for fly fishing for cuts- both the lake and the river down near Buford.

 

[Tokoloshe Safaris]

If you were fishing on lake Avery and looked to the East up on the side of mountain the single cabin was my home.

Lon

 

[Tokoloshe Safaris]

If you were fishing on lake Avery and looked to the East up on the side of mountain the single cabin was my home.

Lon

If you are ever back there go to the buford store. If Tucker still owns it he can show you the cotton woods with spikes in them. Those were putt there by Teddy Roosevelt’s hunting party, led by John Goff

Lon

 

[fourfive8]

Was there three years ago with the family. The last 10 years or so most all those old farmsteads of hay meadows along the river between Meeker and Trappers Lake have been bought up by big, out-of-state “horse” money. Now all filled with McMansions, ponds with fountains, indoor horse arenas, etc.

Interesting history in that area with the TR hunting connection. Also, the US Capitol Christmas tree was cut on Bucky’s place up at Ripple Creek in 2012.