The name SPAM (always capitalised but not because it’s an acronym) was invented in 1936 by Ken Daigneau, an employee of Hormel Foods who were looking for a name for this product they had just invented. He was given $100 for his inspiration.
Never rationed, the food was commonplace - if not popular - during the 1940s and ‘50s. It’s highly likely the Monty Python crew were brought up on the stuff and that was the memory that triggered their famous song. With its repetitive and annoying lyrics it was a perfect fit for repetitive, annoying electronic junk mail and so the name got transferred. Possibly.
There is no evidence it’s a contraction of spiced ham.
I wonder how many foods we enjoyed as kids we would still enjoy now? Not many I think. I remember that Angel Delight used to give me a wicked headache. God nows what additive was causing that. 70's food was laden with them.
I miss Pan Yan pickle, fruit salad chews and Pat a Cake and Lincoln biscuits (are these still available in Ireland?).
I have no hankering for Vesta curries, Fray Bentos tinned pies, Surprise peas, Smash potatoes, Cracker Barrel cheese, Nimble bread, jamboree bags, black jacks, French fancies ( they looked so exciting and always disappointed) or evaporated milk.
Surprise peas smash and spam or you could have ye olde oak ham for a posh treat😝 Fish paste sandwiches or Heinz sandwich spread. Toast toppers ( as appetizing as c*t sick)
One of the Freeview channels has programmes sponsored by SPAM! I didn't even realise it was still available. Just the thought of the stuff makes me feel sick. The last time we ate it, I was about 12 (so early 60s) and we were invited to a friend's house for tea. Tea consisted of a thick lump of spam in white bread with the spam held in place by a thick layer of margarine. It was the most slimy and disgusting combination I have ever had to eat, and I had to eat it 'to be polite'.
Make your own Wagon Wheels out of Digestive biscuits, dulce de leche (condensed milk, nuked in a pressure cooker for an hour - or - real full fat milk boiled down over hours... and hours...and.. ), any jam/marmalade and chocolate. There's Christmas day pudding done.
I quite liked vesta curries especially when you came across a partially rehydrated bit of 'meat'. They were awful stingy with the rice, though so you had to cook extra.
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Never rationed, the food was commonplace - if not popular - during the 1940s and ‘50s. It’s highly likely the Monty Python crew were brought up on the stuff and that was the memory that triggered their famous song. With its repetitive and annoying lyrics it was a perfect fit for repetitive, annoying electronic junk mail and so the name got transferred. Possibly.
There is no evidence it’s a contraction of spiced ham.
I have no hankering for Vesta curries, Fray Bentos tinned pies, Surprise peas, Smash potatoes, Cracker Barrel cheese, Nimble bread, jamboree bags, black jacks, French fancies ( they looked so exciting and always disappointed) or evaporated milk.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=duFierM1yDg
Fish paste sandwiches or Heinz sandwich spread. Toast toppers ( as appetizing as c*t sick)
They were awful stingy with the rice, though so you had to cook extra.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-24140705