Ramblings from (possibly)* the Goat - Spam Museum
11I want to take a moment to extol the virtues of one of the more interesting museums I have had the opportunity to visit.
The Spam Museum.
Deep in the bowels of Austin (iirc) is an unassuming building that is dedicated to the introduction, development, and useless trivia surrounding the worlds finest canned Shoulder, Pork, and haM.
It is filled with displays of vintage meat packing technology and facts about how Spam has been there for us, a grateful nation.
After meandering through the maze of a museum, you will find yourself in the souvenir shop with opportunities to buy Spam clothing as well as every variety of Spam they offer. Have any of you enjoyed Spam and Pineapple? Or spicy Spam?
Has anyone here visited the Spam Museum on purpose? Tell your story and entertain the rest of us!
*votes aren’t counted, results aren’t official. I want to thank everyone for a clean race and it was an honor to be nominated.
- 18 comments, 84 replies
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Unoffical congrats, then. That’s a lot of bull in the background image to live up to …
Sounds interesting.
No plans to go to Texas any time soon though.
@RiotDemon oops, Austin, Minnesota. Surely you can spare a quick road trip to the Norwegian plains…
@JnKL it says I can be there in 22hr and 38m. Less than a day. On my way!
/youtube Weird Al Spam
/image spam pho
It’s always about a chef that understands the ingredients.
@2many2no Those are two words I never want to see together again.
@rtjhnstn OTOH, the number of eateries called Pho King is amusing.
/image Pho King
/image No Pho King Way
/image Pho King Delicious
/image Pho King Awesome
MEALS! DEALS! EELS! AWESOME!
Never been to the museum, but I’m going to Austin later this month. Maybe I’ll check it out!
Also, congrats?
@djslack Thanks, if I am the Goat.
@JnKL Today I learned that there’s another Austin. I’m actually going to the other Austin. I will probably go to several interactive brisket museums where the exhibits come on trays or plates or even paper, though. You know, in the name of cultural appreciation.
@djslack @JnKL Is this the first Austin or the second? If Austin Minnesota has great barbecue That would be strange. And fascinating.
@unksol I’m going to the one with the best barbecue. If you find out that’s Minnesota, let me know so I can change my travel arrangements.
@djslack maybe we should suggest they Branch out. But the opening tag is already “Restaurants in Austin, MN are known for award-winning BBQ sauces”
Http://www.austinmn.com/taste.html
I own this book, I bought it for 32¢ a couple of years ago.
@therealjrn Nice!
My parents wouldn’t allow me to have it growing up and as an adult I’ve never purchased the stuff. Is that weird or somehow un-Amehrican?
@sicc574 It’s the most Amehrican of processed meat products. So yes, I believe your family is on a list somewhere for “needs further investigation”.
@sicc574 meh. I think I had it once or twice camping. I don’t think actual adults eat it. It must have some strange market somewhere to stay in business.
@sicc574 @unksol yes, Hawaii
@sicc574 @tinamarie1974 well yes I was aware of that one. That still seems small. I mean it tastes fine but I can buy a pork shoulder or Boston butt cheaper stateside. So.
@sicc574 @unksol It’s on the shelf in just about every grocery store in the country. Clearly a lot of people, including adults, eat it. And others eat Treet.
@craigthom @sicc574 that was kind of the point. The cans are ubiquitous. But I’ve never met an adult who would eat such a thing. If it was cheap that would make sense and I might. It only makes sense when you need canned meat.
Wtf is Treet
@sicc574 @unksol Have you asked every adult you’ve met if they eat Spam? You might be surprised. And you might be arrested if you keep asking everyone you meet.
What about sardines? Do you know enough adults that eat them to justify them being in every grocery store?
Grocery stores aren’t going to carry inventory that doesn’t move.
Treet is Armour’s version of Spam.
@craigthom @sicc574 what’s an Armour?
@unksol it’s what a British Knight wears.
@djslack vs other knights? I thought it was that tall cabinet in the bedroom but they don’t have ham and misspell treat treet
And everyone knows a treat made of ham is spelled B A C O N so if this is some sort of store I’m confused
I’m not sure we’ve been to the same place.
About twenty five or so years I visited the Hormel First Century Museum, which was called by fellow tourist attraction enthusiasts the Spam Museum.
It was an unmanned storefront in a mall. It had displays about the history of the company.
A few years later I went back. The facade of the museum had been changed, and it was officially called the Spam Museum, but the inside was essentially the same.
Then in 2002 I visited the big new Spam Museum outside town in its own new building.
The company had clearly embraced the position its flagship product has taken in American culture. The video introduction included self-deprecating humor, using the “Weird Al” Yankovic song.
The museum had several rooms about the history and manufacture of Spam. There was even a room of interactive games for children, including one in which participants tried to stuff a fabric-covered plush hunk of “Spam” into a can.
And there was a gift shop where one could buy souvenirs, including clothing and international flavors of Spam.
I’ve read that it moved again in 2016, this time to an even newer facility, in downtown Austin. I have not been to that one. Reports from trusted sources say it’s lost none of it’s charm.
The World of Coca-Cola has lost its charm, in my opinion, after it’s moved to Centennial Park. Kellogg’s Cereal City USA was similar, and great, but it’s gone.
The Spam Museum is a lot of fun, and, if you’re road tripping to the Black Hills, it’s something to stop and see before you get to the Corn Palace.
It’s been around for decades. They must be doing something right.
@craigthom they can ham with a bunch of salt and nitrates. And some sugar. It’s basically impossible to do that wrong and no one needs it unless stocking a fallout shelter. Same as Kellogg’s or coca-cola. No one needs or should want their shit never mind worship at their “museum”.
If you like it that’s fine. Just a little weird. In my opinion. Not that I matter. And I’m a weirdo already
@unksol You know, it’s possible that you might not be the center of the universe. There may, in fact, be many people who like and eat and drink things you don’t.
@craigthom this is true. Statistically if I were the Center of the universe you would be too given the margin of error. But I fully acknowledge I’m being an asshole.
Smoked was my favorite, but spicy is pretty good. My father-in-law used to hunt and fish in MN every year and would stock up on varieties of Spam and add to his ephemera collection. We still have a bunch of stuff (hats, Spam slicer, wall thermometer, Spam Blvd road sign, empty cans of every flavor he could find, including international). They need a new home…
@ybmuG feel free to post pictures of your Spam memorabilia!
@JnKL give me a day or two, but I definitely will. And if I can’t - it’s your fault!
@nolrak this is your fault.
@mediocrebot @nolrak nice, nolrak is still getting the blame. Does this mean I’m not yet confirmed for September?
@JnKL sometimes it doesn’t happen on weekends. You’ll get a goat logo when it happens.
@JnKL @mediocrebot @nolrak it means I blame you or whoever for the meh bot manager not updating their scripts on a holiday weekend.
And way to start of as the presumptive goat!
@ybmuG - You dodged a bullet there!
@aetris all part of my plan.
@aetris @ybmuG
It will catch up with you.
(Sigh. You’ve failed me for the last time, Giphy.)
@TheFLP Giphy failing to pull up a relevant .gif?
/giphy That never happens.
I’m blaming the still official scapegoat @nolrak that I can’t throw in an unblame for this month’s goat @JnKL yet. Also blaming that the image uploader is broken. And I couldn’t find where my second one of these mugs went.
/image purple Penzeys mug
@nolrak 8÷2(2+2) = ?
@narfcake oohhh I visited the STL Penzeys yesterday. Spent wwaayyyy to much money, but got lots of good stuff!!
@tinamarie1974 Which one? Valley or Webster Grove? There might be more. Just noting there is no “the” St. Loius Penzeys. FYI - Spice World is the online equivalent of Penzeys run by a relative. Same quality fresh spices in bulk without the circus or politics of Penzeys if that’s not your spice of life. Also, apparently there’s some controversial history between Bob, his family, and Penzeys hometown of a Milwaukee suburb.
@mike808 I went to the one in Maplewood, I didn’t know there was more than one locally.
I just checked their web site and there isn’t one in Webster, maybe it closed? Where is the one in the Valley?
@tinamarie1974 My bad. Maplewood is the one I thought was in Webster Groves. I think the valley store opened before the Maplewood one. Same products, NBD.
I had no idea there was a Spam museum in Austin. I was there a few years ago visiting a friend and this is just the type of crazy/silly place I would have loved to visit.
And as far as Spam, it is good fried with cheese on top! I don’t eat it regularly, but every great once in a while I get a weird craving.
@tinamarie1974 is there anything bad fried with cheese on top? Certainly not ham
I think you just described a breadless grilled cheese
@unksol
/giphy touche
@tinamarie1974 what ever happened to us seeing your boots. Oh right you don’t do that.
@unksol I posted them!!! Last week I think. Blaming the scapegoat for that sass
@tinamarie1974 but not you in them
@unksol oh, then you are right! Nope not on here! Sorry
@tinamarie1974 that just begs the question then on where
@unksol uummm not on line, ever. I would have to know ya. You never know who is out there and I have someone that does not need to find me. Sorry.
@tinamarie1974 they probably shouldn’t let you witness protection folks on meh than
@unksol nah, nothing like that just an ex that turned into a stalker. Had him on felony charges it got so bad. Taught me to stay a bit under the radar
@tinamarie1974 TMI. Next thing you know you’ll be telling me your name isn’t Tina Marie. Or you weren’t born in 1974. I don’t want to have to arrange a mass toilet papering of his house or something
@unksol hahaha, really that was not so much. Just enough so you understand why I WON’T share. Although if you want to TP someones house…
/giphy first world problems
@tinamarie1974 idk who that is but her head is making me dizzy
I thought it was Squirrels, Possums And Mice
@macromeh hmm… That does sound better
@macromeh I think you might be right!
@JnKL @macromeh
@JnKL @macromeh @tinamarie1974
Scientifically Produced Animal Meat.
@JnKL @macromeh @narfcake @tinamarie1974 it’s been around to long to be science meat. Maybe some day…
@JnKL @macromeh @narfcake @unksol maybe some day you will try it?
@JnKL @macromeh @narfcake @tinamarie1974 I’ve had it. It’s good. Just seems more expensive than other meat and not something I’d buy cause. Why. We are getting close to the science meat though. I won’t buy that either if it’s expensive.
@JnKL @macromeh @narfcake @unksol yeah my company is involved in the research and development of the new lab created product. I am curious
@JnKL @macromeh @narfcake @tinamarie1974 you should tell them they need a better name than “lab created product”. People won’t eat that
@JnKL @macromeh @narfcake @tinamarie1974 @unksol true, but if you read the ingredients on most food, we’re already eating it. It’s why we’ve made a push towards all natural and organic. If I can’t pronounce it, I don’t want to eat it!
@JnKL @macromeh @tinamarie1974 @unksol @ybmuG
@JnKL @macromeh @narfcake @unksol @ybmuG. Awwww I
Wakko. He always reminded me of Ringo Starr for some reason
@JnKL @macromeh @narfcake @tinamarie1974 @unksol that was great. I had forgotten about that. It also I think answers the question if the first part of your name is from Pinky and the Brain.
@JnKL @macromeh @narfcake @tinamarie1974 @ybmuG hey I think he pronounced it all correctly so they meet your criteria.
@tinamarie1974 His voice is indeed modeled after Ringo’s.
@ybmuG
/youtube Just say narf.
@narfcake @tinamarie1974 @ybmuG that’s enarf
@macromeh
Some
Parts
Are
Meat
Someone introduced me to spam recently. She’d seen it on a cooking show (?!) and got hooked on the stuff.
I had it fried. I’m not a fan.
I think Spam is quite popular with the native populations on some of the Pacific Islands that were part of critical action during WWII; esp if the US still maintains large military bases on those islands.
I’ve heard it sells v well on Okinawa
@f00l but I believe that happened because ham is delicious and the only variety they could get was canned. As dead pig didnt ship well.
@unksol
Actually, I think I read that pork is a long term (pre-colonization by Japan) staple on Okinawa.
I don’t know how long pigs have been domesticated as livestock there, but, I think, some centuries, at the least.
They also like the Spam version of it.
Re shipping pork:. Various navies figured out how to manage that many centuries ago.
Ie Salt Pork and similar.
@f00l well I’m usually full of shit why would this time be different
@unksol
Thx re attitude.
@f00l @unskol
Long pig is domesticated as livestock in Okinawa? I guess I’ll scratch that off my travel itinerary!
@f00l @macromeh har har canabalism
/image Dak canned ham
Much better than spam.
Here’s a use for Spam when you’re roughing it and forgot to pack shot glasses. Now you have a use for the 500+ EDC knives you’ve bought on Meh.
@mike808 while I like admiral Nelson’s I’ve never tried to shoot it out of a dead pig.
Not that you’re wrong. Just never occurred to me
@mike808 @unksol might make the Spam taste better, though.
@mike808 you can bite the shot glass as a chaser!
You got your goat. Can we barbecue now?
Also good mehployee
@unksol What are you saying is barbecuing @JnKL? although we might want to wait until goathood is over.
/barbecuing a goat (image is too gross so I skipped it).
@JnKL @Kidsandliz I mean people do eat goat.
@unksol Maybe you people do.
@therealjrn @unksol although I never could, but it is a huge delicacy in parts of Mexico -baby goat or cabrito. You would see them already cleaned hung up in the butcher shop windows and they were on the menu at every nice restaurant.
Like I said I never tried it. I could only think about the fact rhat it was a poor baby!
@therealjrn @tinamarie1974 @unksol gotta eat 'em before el chupacabra gets 'em!
@therealjrn @unksol I’ve had goat barbecue in Louisiana, and I’ve eaten goat at Middle Eastern restaurants.