Spam...a lot

Don't diss it. Spam is back.

"Sales of Spam -- that much maligned meat -- are rising as consumers are turning more to lunch meats and other lower-cost foods to extend their already stretched food budgets," according to Yahoo.

If you're Filipino or Hawaiian (and there are many Hawaiians of Filipino descent!) Spam is comfort food, almost every day food. The Spam of my childhood is fried and served with fried rice (yes, fried is a theme!) I've served Spam in omelettes, sushi rice, and pasta.

There will always be cans of Spam and Vienna sausage in any truly Filipino pantry (yes, these are the same households with cholesterol-lowering meds in their cabinets.) Thrifty? Sure. Yummy? Always.

Just ask all the Spam chefs who compete at the Spam recipe contest at the L.A. County Fair every year.

My best Spam recipe is sugared Spam. Just roll the sliced Spam lightly in white sugar, then fry on medium heat. Serve hot over steamed rice. Oh, and let's not get started on all the different kinds of Spam out there today (classic, low sodium, turkey, lite, hot and spicy, hickory smoked and even golden honey grail, in honor of Monty Python's Spamalot musical.