Lāwaʻi, Kaua’i – Spiced, canned ham may not be universally appreciated as a culinary masterpiece. But in Hawaiʻi, Spam is a household staple, beloved for its versatility, affordability and long shelf life (ever since World War II, when meat was scarce). The most iconic Spam preparation originated on Kauaʻi (by some accounts) at Joni-Hana restaurant in Līhuʻe. Here, manager and nutritionist Barbara Funamura created the Spam musubi – similar to Japanese onigiri (rice balls), but enhanced by the crispy saltiness of fried Spam.
Restaurant workers later started using a box to cut the sushi rice and Spam into a uniform shape before wrapping it in nori. Spam musubi quickly became popular as a tasty, convenient and portable snack. They are still sold at snack shops, convenience stores and even 7-11s throughout the state. I was definitely skeptical, but it’s not bad!
Spam musubi was just one of the local favorite dishes that we learned to make at the Corner Store Cooking Class at Cooking Kaua’i. This was a super fun afternoon. Local food maven Aletha Thomas invited us into her kitchen to share some of her favorite recipes. The others were somen salad, butter mochi and tuna poke (“Hawai’i’s gift to the world” as she called it). She also shared plenty of `talk story’ to convey the historical and cultural significance of these local foods. And of course, the best part was the feast at the end. Delish!