Spamtastic Spambreros

CASEY RESSLER

Frontiersman Valley Life Editor

Long gone are the days when a can of Spam was just for camping, at least for a group of die-hard Spam fans from Alaska.

Monday night, 11 people turned Spam into a delicacy, turning the canned meat product into award-winning dishes, from Spam egg rolls to pasta salads, for the annual Best Spam Recipe contest at the Alaska State Fair.

Wasilla's Janet Kirkwood took the top prize - $150, a blue ribbon and a bunch of Spam merchandise - for her Spambrero recipe.

"My husband entered last year and didn't win anything, so this is our second try," Kirkwood said as Spam fans milled around her award-winning dish Monday in the Hoskins Building.

Spambreros appear to be miniature doughy sombreros, which are stuffed with meats and cheeses - and of course, some Spam.

"It was a total family effort," Kirkwood said. "My daughter came up with the idea of using a muffin pan to make them look like sombreros, my husband came up with the name and I came up with the meats and cheeses and seasonings."

Anchorage's Kelly Schwarz took second place - $100 - for her Crazy Teriyaki Spam, which was complimented with shiitake mushrooms. Anchorage's Steve DeSordi took third place - $25 - for his Spam Bow Tie Pasta, which was highlighted by a number of cheeses.

"We thought adding asiago cheese would really make the salad," DeSordi said.

The recipe contest has turned into a testament to the much-maligned meat, as people turn to elaborate ornaments to make their dishes not only food, but sights to behold. Monday, an oriental umbrella adorned one dish of spiced Spam egg rolls, for instance.

There are a number of contestants who return to the competition year after year, although defending state champions are not permitted to enter the following year.

"People are putting in a lot of effort, and this is one of the best competitions in recent memory," said Anchorage entertainer and businessman Mr. Whitekeys, who was one of three judges. "A lot of creativity has gone into these dishes."

Kirkwood's recipe for Spambreros is now heading to the national competition, where it will be judged against other state winners.

If her recipe is judged to be the best in the country, Kirkwood would receive $2,500.

Kirkwood said Spam isn't always on the menu at home, though.

"We do eat some Spam, but not a lot," she admitted. "I grew up in Minnesota, and we ate a lot of it then."

Alaskans eat the second-most amount of Spam per capita in the nation. Hawaiians lead the way, consuming nearly six cans of Spam per resident per year.