Tracing Our Culinary Roots

The Job of the Food Historian

The history of civilization is undoubtedly affected by what happens on battlefields, decisions made by politicians, and products created in factories. The history of all civilization, however, is lived in the homes of its people. When we examine the fundamental elements of everyday life, we discover the true essence of a culture. The dynamics of the family, how they earned a living, where they lived, and what they wore are all important to understanding the people themselves.

Few cultural elements reveal more about people and the circumstances in which they lived than the foods they ate. It is the savory task of the food historian to research and share information about the eating habits of ancient cultures and more recent ones. Food historians are often employed by museums and universities where the results of their research is shared in books, films, exhibits and on Internet sites. Their work often involves traveling to exotic locations and sampling foods from around the world. Sounds pretty interesting, don’t you think?

The activity that you will be completing is designed to give you a general idea of what it might be like to be a food historian. So bring your appetite and your notebooks and let’s get started!

Objective:To enable students to experience the career of food historian.
                  To encourage students to become acquainted with events prominent in recent American history.

 

Few American food products are as recognizable as SPAM. This canned meat product is often joked about, but did you know that it’s been sold since 1937? With a sales history like that, the Hormel company must be doing something right! Trace the history of SPAM by visiting the company’s web site at www.SPAM.com .

 

Directions:

  1. When you come to the opening screen of www.SPAM.com click on the SPAM in Time link. This will take you to the timeline which traces the history of this American culinary icon. The timeline is divided into decades beginning with the creation of SPAM in the 1930's and continuing through the1990's.
  2. Your teacher will assign you to depict a portion of this timeline for display in your classroom. You might choose to exhibit what you have learned in the form of a poster, a three-dimensional display or as a banner. Your teacher will direct you in the final completion of your project.
  3. To gain a complete picture of the importance of SPAM in American food history, complete the SPAM Study Guide that follows. The answers to the questions will be found at www.SPAM.com .                                                                   

Study Guide

  1. What famous scientist emigrated to the United States in 1932? You will earn bonus points if you can name his country of origin and describe the theory for which he is most famous.

  2. Who referred to SPAM as a wartime delicacy? You will earn more bonus points if you can explain the importance of this person in world history.
  3. What two important American family entertainment businesses opened in 1955?
  4. What important political event happened in 1961?
  5. Who is Cassius Clay? What role did he play in American sports history?
  6. What milestone in space exploration occurred in 1969? What astronaut is most often associated with this event?
  7. What baseball record was set by Hank Aaron in 1974? Whose record did he break? Bonus points if you can state the year in which this player played against the Chicago Cubs in the World Series.
  8. What was the Watergate scandal and when did it happen?
  9. Who is Sally Ride? What is her claim to fame?
  10. In 1995 a major milestone in environmental preservation occurred. Describe this event.

Print the study guide

The versatility of SPAM is often emphasized in the marketing of this unique product. "It can be eaten for breakfast, lunch, dinner and anytime in between." In order to stress the truth of this statement Hormel, the company the produces SPAM hosts two nationwide cooking contests each year: The National Best SPAM Recipe Competition and the SPAM Kid Chef of the Year Recipe Contest. The rules for each of these contests can be found at www.SPAM.com.

Cooking contests are a great way to encourage students to try new foods and to nurture their creativity. The rules are all there for you as well as lots of tasty examples, so why not hold a SPAM Cook-Off in your own classroom. If you consider some of their creations culinary masterpieces, you might even submit them for consideration in an upcoming SPAM cookbook. The submission form is also available at www.SPAM.com.

For inspiration I have included an original SPAM recipe created by a friend of mine, Celeste Buschschulte. The recipe did not win, but was included in one of the SPAM Cook-Off cookbooks. It’s cheesy and delicious! A great way to introduce your students to this unique American contribution to culinary history. Enjoy!

CheesySPAM Pie

1 (15 ounce) package Pillsbury Pie Crusts
¼ cup chopped green onions
2 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 (12 ounce) can Pet Evaporated Milk
16 ounces Velveeta cheese, cubed
1 teaspoon seasoned pepper
2 medium potatoes, peeled, cubed and cooked till just tender
½ cup chopped green pepper
1 (12 ounce) can SPAM, cut into ½-inch cubes
1 (10 ¾ ounce) can Campbell’s Cream of Mushroom soup
3 tablespoons milk

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
  2. Lightly coat 9-inch glass deep dish pie plate with nonstick cooking spray.
  3. Following package directions for two-crust pie, line pie plate with one pie crust section.
  4. In a small saucepan cook green onion in butter or margarine till tender, but not brown. Stir in flour. Add evaporated milk and stir to blend.
  5. Cook, stirring constantly, till thick and bubbly. Cook 1 to 2 minutes more.
  6. Reduce heat to low and add cubed cheese. Heat just until cheese melts.
  7. Remove 1 ½ cups sauce and combine with vegetables and seasoning. Stir gently to avoid crushing potatoes. Spread mixture in pie shell.
  8. Layer SPAM over vegetable mixture. Top with remaining crust section.
  9. Seal, flute and cut slits in top crust. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until crust is golden brown. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
  10. To reserved cheese mixture, add soup and stir until blended. Cook and stir over low heat till heated through. Serve as accompaniment to Cheesy SPAM Pie.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

Nutrition Information (per serving):

Calories 491
Total fat 35 g
Saturated fat 18 g
Cholesterol 98 g
Sodium 1820 mg
Protein 23 g

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