Prompt Cast
The History and Popularity of Spam
TLDR Spam, a pinkish brick of meat made from pork shoulder and ham, has an indefinite shelf life and gained popularity during World War II. Despite concerns about its health risks, Spam remains a popular and affordable option for many people, and even has its own festivals.
Timestamped Summary
00:00
Spam never goes bad and was given to passengers on a Carnival Cruise ship that lost power and left them adrift at sea.
04:50
Spam is a pinkish brick of meat made from 100% pork shoulder and ham, along with salt, sugar, water, sodium nitrite, and potato starch, and it has an indefinite shelf life.
09:06
Spam was originally called spiced ham and had packaging issues due to the canning process, but eventually the canning process was perfected with the use of salt and precise temperature, and it was marketed by Jay Hormel, who also came up with Hormel's Chili Concarne.
13:09
The name "Spam" was coined by a Broadway actor named Kenneth Daneu, who won $100 at a New Year's Eve party hosted by Jay Hormel, and while there are various theories about the meaning of the name, it is believed to be a combination of "spiced" and "ham."
18:02
Spam became popular during World War II when it was sent to soldiers and countries fighting the Axis powers, and after the war, people developed a taste for it, leading to a successful marketing campaign by J. Hormel.
22:22
Spam is made by grinding up pork, blending it with other ingredients, and then cooking it in a can, and it contains high amounts of sodium and saturated fat.
26:46
Spam was born out of the depression and is still popular today, especially during recessions, and while it may be made fun of, it is an affordable option for some people.
31:39
Sodium nitrite in cured and processed meats can combine with amines to form carcinogenic nitrosamines, leading to concerns about the health risks of consuming these types of meats.
36:16
Spam festivals, such as the Waikiki spam jam, bring together lovers of spam to trade recipes and enjoy spam-related products and activities like sculpting contests.
40:40
The hosts discuss their plans for future podcast episodes and answer a listener question about how they distribute information evenly between themselves.
Categories:
Society & Culture
