DEL MAR: Fair chefs take a stab at an old favorite

By Renee Haines - For The North County Times | Sunday, June 29, 2008 8:11 PM PDT ∞

DEL MAR ---- Spam, and not the e-mail kind, has inspired songs, poetry contests and even a hit musical celebrating Hormel Foods Corp.'s trademarked, canned ham-based product.

The 71-year-old economically priced Spam made fresh headlines this summer for enjoying double-digit sales at a time when other product-makers are taking a beating in this battered economy.

On Saturday and Sunday, amateur chefs came to the San Diego County Fair to add gourmet status to the grocery store staple at the Great American Spam Championship at the Del Mar Fairgrounds.

Contestants Danielle Jaksa, 11, and Evan Jaksa, 8, of Carmel Valley, recently returned from a trip with their family to London, where they got their inspiration from seeing "Spamalot," the hit Monty Python-inspired musical.

"They love Monty Python," their mother, Andrea Jaksa, said about the British comedy troupe that wrote the song with that famous refrain: "Spam, Spam, Spam, Spam."

Danielle added mint as her favorite ingredient for her entry, Spam Spring Rolls, during the children's championship on Sunday. Brother Evan entered a Spam-o-Noodle casserole.

In the adult competition on Saturday, Pat LaPiezo of La Mesa beat 35 other contestants to win $150 and a chance to win a trip to Hawaii for the Spam Jam Waikiki next year. Her entry was Spam Ranchero Cheesecake.

Seventeen children ranging in age from 8 to 17 competed Sunday for a $150 grand prize and a chance to win February's national contest, Spam Kid Chef of the Year, which comes with a $2,000 prize.

Lauren Milne, 11, of San Diego, said she made her Spam Napoleon with puff pastry layered with goat cheese mixed with ground Spam, then topped by grilled Spam slices.

"I'd never tasted it before, but the way I cooked with it, I really liked it," Lauren said.

Charlotte Perkis, 11, of Olivenhain, entered "Apple-Spam Puffy Bites," presented artfully on a plate with flowers.

Trevor Jesse, 10, credited his mom with helping him come up with the name of his gourmet entry.

"We were thinking of names and we thought, wait, empanadas. Then we thought, wait, Spam-panadas," he said.

"Even if his dish doesn't win, the name should," said his mother, Teresa Jesse, admitting she found herself repeatedly saying Spam-panadas, a la Monty Python, over and over again the night before.

Audrey Ponder, 8, of Rancho Santa Fe, entered Surfer Girl Spam Fried Rice.

Zachary Shirey, 17, of Temecula used an oven-roasted turkey variety of Spam to create ZJ's Sweet Turkey Puff. His sister, Hannah, 12, entered Hannah's Spam Hummus.

The winner of Sunday's children's contest was Katherine Ponder, 11, of Rancho Santa Fe, whose Dugout Deviled Eggs made with Spam were served in a plastic San Diego Padres baseball cap.

The fair continues through July 6.

 

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