There are some universal truths: Bacon makes everything better. Burgers must be eaten with fries. Airport food is bad.

Pleasantly, I’m here to dispel one of those universal truths. Airport food isn’t always bad, especially if you eat at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport. True to its community roots, Austin’s airport favors local businesses over chains. So instead of KFC and Barnes & Noble, you find locally beloved Salt Lick BBQ and indie bookstore, Book People.

The last time I was at the airport, I overhead the following conversation among three businessmen, whom I’ll call Mo, Larry and Curly:

Mo: I’m hungry. I’m gonna get some bbq from Salt Lick. You guys want some?

Larry: No, thanks. I don’t eat in airports. The food’s always terrible and overpriced.

Mo: You haven’t had Salt Lick then.

Curly: Oh, man, I LOVE Salt Lick. I get it every time I come here. And you gotta have it with that beer. What’s it called?

Mo: Shiner?

Curly: Yeah, that’s it, Shiner Bock. Salt Lick and Shiner Bock. It’s killer, Man. Killer.

Salt Lick Sausage Platter and Shiner Bock Beer

Curly’s right. Salt Lick BBQ is killer. Its roots run deep — back to the mid-18oos when a plucky 14-year-old girl named Bettie began searing meat and cooking it slowly over coals. Over 150 years later, Salt Lick uses the same cooking process. Their pulled pork  tacos are some of the best you’ll ever taste —succulent, perfectly sauced, tangy and not too salty. To my delight, most bites include a crispy nugget of charred meat that takes some extra chewing. Their sausage platter is a grand affair: muscular links of spicy pork sausage are drizzled with bbq sauce and served with classic Southern sides such as beans, mashed potatoes and cole slaw. It’s served with soft white bread, which is requisite in Texas BBQ.

Oh, and if you were wondering about Mo, Larry and Curly. When I spotted them next, they were devouring Salt Lick BBQ pulled pork tacos. Larry had bbq sauce dribbling down his chin. That’s the power of Salt Lick.

Sundays are for suppers. Not just any suppers. Suppers made patiently, slowly, lovingly. Like the way your mother or grandmother used to do.

When I was a child, most Sunday mornings were spent rolling the meatballs. From the time I about four years old, I’d stand on my mom’s rickety yellow step stool, and eagerly dig my hands into the cold pork and beef mixture she had waiting for me on the counter top. I’d add the eggs (yes, I was an egg-cracking prodigy), the bread crumbs, the parsley, the grated cheese, and I’d being to squish and mash the mixture with delight. That is, until my hands turned purple from the cold. Then my mom would run my hands under warm water, rubbing them with her own, before she’d let me start rolling the meatballs again.

If you think 4-year-olds love to bake cookies, give them a crack at rolling meatballs — you can keep them occupied for hours. I’d roll about 40 meatballs every Sunday, filling large rimmed baking sheets end to end. Every Sunday my mom would invariably say, “Honey, are you sure your hands aren’t too cold? You want me to roll the rest?” And I’d say, “Nope, I’m fine.” Why would I want to leave the kitchen? I loved being there. Everything — the sizzling of the hot olive oil, the sharp smell of garlic, the many “sweeties,” “good jobs!,” and “loves” I received from my mother — was perfect. I would have chosen making meatballs with my mom over playing with my my play-dough. And I loved my play-dough.

Over 35 years later, those Sundays remain some of my most delicious memories. When my husband I are missing home, or I’m just missing my mom, we do what always makes us feel better: we make a big batch of meatballs. And meatballs are only as good as the meat that goes into them. While most people make meatballs with all beef, my mom always said that pork gave meatballs that “extra oomph!” So her meatball recipe consisted of half ground pork, half ground beef, 100% goodness.

Everyone knows you can’t eat meatballs without tomato sauce, or as we Italian -Americans call it, “gravy,” so you’ll find my family’s recipe below. (Gravy is a separate story for a separate post.) Even though it’s just my husband and me now on Sundays, we still like to have our Sunday suppers. Our Sunday suppers aren’t as grand as my mom’s used to be, but they’re still special, particularly when meatballs are involved.

Italian Meatballs with Tomato Sauce

Recipe by Susan Russo

Makes 6 to 8 servings

This tomato sauce is a quick marinara as opposed to a long-cooking Italian-American gravy made with sausages. In a pinch, you can use bottled sauce, but I wouldn’t recommend it.

Tomato Sauce:

2 (28-ounce) cans San Marzano tomatoes

1 (14.5-ounce) can plain tomato sauce

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 whole garlic cloves

1 large yellow onion, minced

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1/2 cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1/4 cup finely chopped fresh basil

Meatballs

1/2 pound ground pork

1/2 pound ground beef

1 cup plain breadcrumbs

1/3 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

1/4 cup chopped fresh, flat-leaf parsley

1 large egg, lightly beaten

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1/8 cup olive oil

1/8 cup canola oil

To Finish:

1 pound spaghetti or pasta of your choice

1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

7 to 8 fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced

For Gravy:
Pour the tomatoes into a large bowl, and crush them with your hands (or use a blender or food processor if you prefer). In a large, heavy pot over medium-low heat, warm 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add garlic cloves and onions, and saute for 2 to 3 minutes, or until golden brown and aromatic. Discard the garlic cloves. Pour in the tomatoes (with their juice), tomato sauce, crushed red pepper, and salt and black pepper. Bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer, and cook 20 to 25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened. Stir in fresh parsley and basil.

For Meatballs:
Place the meat in a large bowl. Add breadcrumbs, cheese and parsley. In a small bowl, beat the egg with some salt and pepper; add to the meat mixture. Mix the ingredients with your hands until the consistency is moist and the meat holds together well. If it’s too dry, add a bit of water or another beaten egg. If it’s too moist, add more breadcrumbs. Once the consistency is right, using your hands, roll the meatballs into 1 1/2-inch balls. It should make about 22 to 24 meatballs.

Mix the olive and canola oils in a large skillet over medium heat. Fit as many meatballs in the skillet as you can without overcrowding so you have room to turn them. Cook about 2 to 3 minutes until browned, then turn over and cook another 2 to 3 minutes, until all sides are evenly browned. Place on a paper towel-lined plate to absorb any excess oil. Repeat. Add the cooked meatballs to the sauce after it has simmered for 20 to 25 minutes. Simmer for an additional 25 to 30 minutes. If the sauce becomes too thick, then simply add small amounts of water until the desired consistency is reached.

For Pasta:

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente. Drain. Add to the pot of sauce and meatballs, stirring to coat. Transfer to a large serving platter, and sprinkle with some grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and chopped fresh basil.

Note: The meatballs can also be baked if you prefer not to fry them. To bake them, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place meatballs on a tinfoil-lined baking sheet (for easy clean up) and cook for 20 minutes, or until browned.

Photo credits: Top two photos, Susan Russo; last photo,FCC: MrUsaji

Savory Sausage and Fennel Galette

What mom could resist a Savory Sausage and Fennel Galette — a golden, flaky crust filled with crisp Italian sausage, fennel, sun-dried tomatoes, and smoked mozzarella?

Quiche is the quintessential Mother’s Day brunch food, and this decadent Sausage-Spinach Quiche from Porkbeinspired.com will make Mom feel downright spoiled.

A beautifully set dinner table will be grander with a glistening roasted ham in the center. This Baked Ham with Mojo Sauce from Porkbeinspired.com is both zesty and sweet, just like Mom.

Brie and Bacon Puff Pastry is both homey and elegant, the perfect combination for any Mother’s Day celebration.

Make Mom crazy happy with this Wild Leek and Double Smoked Bacon Tart from Closet Cooking.

If you’re cooking Mother’s Day brunch with little ones, then consider this kid-friendly Cheesy Ham and Macaroni from Porkbeinspired.com. It’s perfect for little hands and adult bellies.

Sausage Breakfast Casserole

Made with 10 eggs and milk, this hearty Sausage Breakfast Casserole from Cooking on the Side is satisfyingly thick and custard-y.

With a bourbon, tarragon, honey-mustard glazed, these Honey Pork Tenderloin Kabobs from Porkbeinspired.com are satisfyingly salty and sweet. Prop them on a bed of wild rice, mashed potatoes, or quinoa for a complete meal.

For a show-stopping meal, wow Mom with a regal Honey and Sage Roasted Rack of Pork from Porkbeinspired.com.

Pork Chops seem suddenly sexy when paired with grapes as evidenced in Circle Food’s Pork Chops with Roasted Grapes recipe.

Pork Medallions with Strawberry-Mango Salsa

For a cheerful springtime pork recipe, try this sweet and savory recipe for Pork Medallions with Strawberry-Mango Salsa.

There’s something about stuffed meats that signals a special occasion, and it’s hard to get more special that this Italian-Stuffed Pork Tenderloin drizzled with creamy Alfredo sauce from Porkbeinspired.com.

You can’t choose your mother, but you can choose what to give her for Mother’s Day. If your mom thinks pigs are cute and that bacon should be its own food group, then read on, cause I’ve got some perfectly porcine gifts for Mother’s Day.

Giving Mom a rose? How about nestling it inside of a pink glass pig bud vase from Etsy?

Better yet, how about surprising her with a bouquet of bacon roses? Yes, actual, edible bacon roses.

Does Mom have a sweet and salty tooth? Consider treating her to Vosges Haut Chocolat which offers a host of “exotic” bacon chocolates from a whimsical flying chocolate pig to an elegant box of assorted bacon truffles.

For the mom who loves to cook, there are countless piggy kitchen tools that will delight her from a wooden pig shaped cutting board and Piggly Wiggly Mini Frying Pan and Spatula Set to pig shaped cake pan and pancake pans. You can even get pig shaped salt and pepper shakers ranging from $12.95 at Sur la Table to $75.00 at uncommongoods.com.

If mom prefers bling, then she’ll be smitten with a darling silver pig bracelet, sweet silver pig charm, or attractive pig ring, all from Animal Den.

Bacon Freak has lots of porky treats for Mother’s Day including their and Mother’s Day Gift Bundle, the latter which includes Maple-Bacon Mallamores.

If Mom’s a t-shirt and jeans kinda gal, she’ll look cool in a fitted tank top with logos such as “You had me at bacon” or “Bacon is like a little hug from God.”

Moms-on-the-go will appreciate this spacious, easily portable messenger bag stamped with a cute pink pig from Cafepress.com. I mean, really, how freakin’ cute is this bag?

If you’re a dad looking for a child’s gift for Mom, consider something pink, soft, and cuddly like Sniffs The Pink Beanie Baby or Arnold The Snoring Pig. Yes, Arnold actually snores and moves his ears when his hoof is pressed. You may have to wrestle this gift out of your child’s grasp. Be prepared for a struggle.

Photo credits, Flickr Creative Commons, thebridge, Elizabeth/Table4Five, beforepigsfly.

In my last post, I admitted that I like SPAM. I’ve since received emails from chef and food writer friends of mine that have read like this:

“Honey, are you depressed?”

“Food Blogga likes Spam? No way!”

OK, folks, this SPAM antipathy has got to end. It’s good. It’s pork. How could it not be good? Especially when you eat it like I did in Hawaii — pan-seared to crisp perfection and tossed into softly scrambled eggs and wrapped inside of a warm tortilla or diced until lightly browned and added to a spicy, chili-laced, Asian vegetable stir-fry.

One of the tastiest SPAM dishes I ate in Hawaii was a breakfast fried rice with diced SPAM and egg. You’ve eaten pork or ham fried rice and loved it, right? Well, you’ll love SPAM fried rice too. And if you think fried rice wouldn’t taste good in the morning, think again. It was somehow satisfying yet not heavy. We’d eat it and stay comfortable until late afternoon.

Since we’ve returned home to San Diego, I haven’t attempted to make SPAM musubi; working with Nori still intimidates me. But I have made SPAM fried rice, and you should too. In the recipe below, I used Lite SPAM and low-sodium soy sauce to reduce the sodium level in the dish and added lots of healthy fresh veggies, ginger, and herbs. Enjoy it as a side with baked fish or as a main meal with a green salad. You can even scoop it into large Iceberg lettuce leaves for a fun, hand-held appetizer.

Whatever you do, give SPAM a chance.

Hawaiian SPAM Pineapple Fried Rice

Serves 4

1 1/2 tablespoons sesame oil

6 ounces Lite SPAM, diced

3 scallions, thinly sliced (reserve some of the green part for garnish)

1/2 large red bell pepper, diced

1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger

1 small red or green chili (the more the seeds the hotter the flavor)

2 cups leftover cooked white rice

1 cup diced pineapple, preferably fresh

1 to2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce

1/4 cup macadamia nuts, chopped (salted or unsalted)

1. In a wok or a large skillet over high heat, warm sesame oil. Add the SPAM and saute 2 minutes. Add scallions, red bell pepper, ginger, and chili; saute 3 minutes, or until SPAM is lightly browned all over. Add cooked rice, stirring frequently, for 3 to 5 minutes. Add pineapple, soy sauce, and macadamia nuts; stir until well coated and heated through, about 2 to 3 minutes. Sprinkle with the scallion greens and serve immediately.

I like SPAM. I didn’t know I liked it until a month ago when my husband and I were visiting The Big Island in Hawaii. Having grown up in an Italian-American family on the East Coast, it’s not something my mom bought. (We weren’t even allowed to buy jarred tomato sauce.) In fact, when I called her from Hawaii recently, here’s what she had to say:

Mom: “Hi, honey. What’d you have for breakfast this morning?”

Me: “SPAM musubi. It’s a big rice ball filled with SPAM and wrapped in Nori seaweed. It’s amazing.”

Mom: “Ham and rice?”

Me: “No, SPAM and rice.”

Mom: “Cause I know you’d never eat SPAM. Blech.”

Me: “Mom, it’s SPAM, not ham.”

Mom: “Not the pink stuff in the can? —Dramatic pause — You wouldn’t!”

Me: “I would and I did. And it’s actually really good. You’d like it.”

Mom: “I can’t believe my daughter ate SPAM.”

I hadn’t heard that kind of despondency in her voice since “Dynasty” went off the air in 1991. I understand her disbelief. SPAM has endured a lifetime of unnecessary scorn. Hormel Foods introduced Spam in 1937 as a way to use up leftover pork shoulder and ham; however, it quickly (and unfortunately) become known as “mystery meat,” paving the way for ridicule and satire, most famously illustrated in the 1970 Monty Python “Spam” skit.  Since it was canned and wouldn’t spoil easily, SPAM was ideal for the military; during WWII, more than 100 million pounds of SPAM were shipped abroad to feed allied troops. Due to its geographic isolation and limited farming, Hawaii quickly became a destination for SPAM as well. Hawaiians love SPAM: Almost 4.5 million cans of SPAM are eaten per year in Hawaii, which comes out to an average of six cans per person. They eat it at home in sandwiches, stir-fries, salads, rice dishes, and more. Many McDonald’s franchises there offer SPAM burgers and scrambled eggs with SPAM, and most restaurants offer at least one item with SPAM.

Hawaiian SPAM Musubi

Here’s how I came to like and understand SPAM: my husband. Each morning on our Hawaii trip, we’d walk to the local Island Gourmet market which sells Hawaiian foods, products, and memorabilia. On the first morning he picked up a few packages of cooked foods including SPAM musubi. I didn’t want to taste it. He cajoled. I acquiesced. I experienced a revelation.

Biting into the SPAM musubi is a full-on sensory experience. The paper-tissue thin, black Nori, which tastes and smells like the ocean, contrasts deliciously with the sticky, chewy, white rice and slightly salty, very hammy SPAM. That’s right— if you like ham, you’ll like SPAM. I took a second bite, then a third, then told my husband he had to go back inside the store to buy himself another one. This SPAM musubi was mine. Turns out SPAM musubi is a wildly popular Hawaiian snack. I spotted it in many markets and even at several convenience stores in those square glass heated cases that store hot pretzels and hot dogs.

Oh, and just in case you’re wondering if SPAM is just a Hawaiian thing, SPAM.com, the official SPAM website, says that it has sold over 7 billion cans. I’d say that makes the mystery meat pretty popular. Take that, Mom.

]]> http://porkknifeandspoon.com/2012/04/20/i-like-spam/feed/ http://porkknifeandspoon.com/2012/04/17/iacp-new-york-2012-fashion-and-food-my-experience/ http://porkknifeandspoon.com/2012/04/17/iacp-new-york-2012-fashion-and-food-my-experience/#comments Tue, 17 Apr 2012 18:43:44 +0000 Susan http://porkknifeandspoon.com/?p=4034

Some pork swag for attendees.

I love blogging here at Pork, Knife & Spoon. I get to write about tasty topics like bacon, BBQ, and holiday traditions and create recipes for porky fare including BBQ spare ribs, pork tenderloin, and bacon ice cream. I chat with chefs and cookbook authors and get to host contests (for bacon!) and give away great prizes like a children’s cooking set. Best of all, I get to talk pork with all of you here and on Twitter at @PorkandKnife.

Hanging out with my fellow fabulous Pork Board gals.

Recently I had a special opportunity: The Pork Board hosted several of us at the 34th International Association of Culinary Professionals’s (IACP) annual meeting, where culinary icons including Jaques Pepin and Amanda Hesser and working people come together to share, learn, and be inspired. This year’s meeting took place in New York City, and as such, the organizers chose The Fashion of Food as the theme. Shoes and food? I’m there.

Our session: “Marketers and Bloggers: How to Create Rewarding Alliances.”

There were over 75 sessions on topics ranging from food trends and craft beer to how to pitch editors and write compelling recipes. I was a speaker on a panel entitled, “Marketers and Bloggers: How to Create Rewarding Alliances.” My distinguished co-panelists included Cathy Lee Frederickson of The Pork Board (@allaboutpork on Twitter), Casey Benedict of Kitchen Play, Janet Helm of Nutrition Unplugged, Jenn Sutherland of Edelman Public Relations, Katie Goodman of the blog Good Life Eats, and Heather Travis, head of public relations at Canadian Beef. We were able to help scores of marketers and bloggers by sharing our stories of success and answering their many questions. Perhaps the primary theme of our session was for marketers and bloggers to cultivate long-term, mutually beneficial relationships, like I have here with the Pork Board. It was a gratifying and rewarding experience.

Networking

As for the rest of the conference, here are a few nuggets I gleaned about food and fashion:

• Kale is currently the most fashionable vegetable out there. I believe I heard it mentioned in six different panels. One speaker even quipped, “I wonder when Kale, the Book is coming out?”
• Some foods, including petite macarons are no longer the super models of desserts. Pie tried valiantly to take macaron’s spot, but the humble confection couldn’t pull it off. French cannelles are getting a lot of press among the fashionistas of food but still haven’t caught the public’s imagination.
• People are increasingly seeking novel vegetarian and vegan options. Notice to restauranteurs and chefs: grilled portobello sandwiches and veggie lasagna aren’t cutting it anymore.
• Unlike the waistlines of runway models, dietary restrictions continue to grow. Food distributors and chefs who can provide delicious alternatives to people with allergies will not only benefit financially but will also gain the loyalty of shoppers and diners.
• Cupcakes haven’t died yet. But there’s hope.
• Freelance food writing unfortunately remains an over-saturated, under-paid field. (Ruth Reichl confirmed this.)
• Depending on where you live, Ramen noodles may be painfully hip, passe, or non-existent.
• Everyone still loves bacon.
• New York Times food writer, Kim Severson, is the Ellen Degeneres of the culinary world and should have her own TV show.

As another example of our working well together, The Pork Board asked me to create a recipe for  the IACP which I’m sharing here. These Espresso-Maple Pulled Pork Breakfast Burritos are spicy, salty, earthy, sweet, sticky, tangy, and chewy. Eat them for breakfast. Or lunch. Or dinner. Because pulled pork tastes great any time of day.

Espresso-Maple Pulled Pork and Egg Breakfast Burritos
Makes 10 burritos
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 6 to 7 hours

1 (3- 3 1/2 pound) boneless pork butt (shoulder) or sirloin roast

Dry Rub:
1 1/2 tablespoons ground espresso (or very dark roast coffee)
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
1/2 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic
1/2 teaspoon onion powder

Espresso-Maple Barbecue Sauce:
2/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
1/3 cup brewed espresso (or very dark roast coffee)
2 tablespoons hot sauce
2 tablespoons stone ground mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt

Eggs:
1 teaspoon olive oil
10 large eggs
A couple of pinches of salt and black pepper
10 (8-inch) flour tortillas
1 cup regular or low-fat grated cheddar or mixed Mexican cheese

Add the rub ingredients to a small bowl and stir until well blended. Rub the mixture over all sides of the meat pressing it to adhere. Refrigerate at least 2 hours and preferably overnight. Remove from refrigerator 20 minutes before cooking.

Preheat oven to 250 degrees F. Place meat, fat side up, on the rack of a shallow roasting pan. Cook uncovered 2 hours. Raise oven temperature to 300 degrees F. Cover meat with tinfoil and cook 4 to 5 hours, or until the internal temperature reaches 170 degrees and meat is very tender. Transfer the meat to a cutting board, tent with tinfoil, and let rest for 20 minutes.

In a small pot over medium-high heat, add barbecue sauce ingredients. Bring to a boil; lower heat and simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened. Pour sauce in a wide, shallow dish large enough to hold the meat.

Uncover the meat, and using two forks, shred into bite-size pieces. Transfer shredded meat to the dish with the barbecue sauce and toss to coat completely.

Place flour tortillas on a baking sheet and warm in the oven for 10 minutes at 400 degrees.

To make the eggs, warm olive oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Whisk eggs with salt and black pepper and pour into the skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 to 4 minutes or until soft and fluffy, but no longer runny.

To assemble a burrito, place a warm tortilla on a plate. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon cheese, top with 3/4 -1 cup of bbq pulled pork, a spoonful of eggs, then an additional 1 tablespoon cheese. Roll up and serve hot. If making ahead, place on a baking sheet and keep in a warm (200 degrees F) oven until ready to serve.

What do you do when you get home from the fish market, open your bag and realize that the two pounds of large sea scallops you thought you bought are actually two pounds of tiny bay scallops? You put them back in the refrigerator, get in your car, and go to the market to buy bacon for the scallop chowder you’re going to make.

Having grown up in New England, I’ve eaten my fair share of creamy chowders, and the truly great ones share one common characteristic: They’re made with bacon. With its distinctive salty-smokiness, bacon has a way of bringing out the best in others. And in this recipe, you’ll saute the vegetables in the bacon fat instead of butter or oil, which infuses the entire chowder with bacon flavor.

Thank you, bacon.

Bay Scallop Chowder with Crumbled Bacon
Makes 8 servings
Adapted from Scallop Chowder on MyRecipes.com

NOTE: I use 2% low-fat milk, but low-fat or full-fat regular milk will work as well.

4 slices bacon (or up to 6 if you’d like a no-holds barred bacon flavor)
1 cup chopped onion (about 1 medium)
1 cup chopped celery (about 4 stalks)
2 (8-ounce) bottles clam juice
4 cups diced Russet or Yukon Gold potatoes (about 2 medium)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
3 cups 2% low- fat milk
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 pounds bay scallops
1 cup half-and-half
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
1/3 chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1. In a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, cook bacon until crisp. Remove bacon from pan, reserving 2 teaspoons drippings in pan. Let the bacon cool; then crumble and set aside. Add onion and celery; sauté 5 to 7 minutes or until tender. Add clam juice, black pepper, and potatoes. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes or until potato is tender.
2. Combine milk and flour and whisk until smooth; add to the pot and bring to a simmer; do not boil, or the milk will separate. Stir in scallops, half-and-half, thyme, parsley, and half of the crumbled bacon. Cook 3 minutes, or until the scallops turn opaque. Remove from heat. Garnish individual servings with remaining crumbled bacon and, if desired, thyme sprigs.

Ever wonder how “deviled ham” got its name? So-called “deviled” foods are those prepared with hot seasonings, such as cayenne pepper and dry mustard. (And, yes, the name refers to the mythical red-hot horned beast from hell.) In the 1960s, deviled ham sandwiches were the stars of the ladies luncheons. They were typically bite-sized creations of ground cooked ham mixed with a variety of seasonings and condiments — cayenne pepper, spicy mustard, chopped pickled and mayonnaise — spread between bread.

Apparently, there were also potent main-bait. As you can see from the vintage ad above, all a woman needed to trap a full-blooded all-American man was a picnic basket filled with Underwood deviled ham and egg sandwiches. The Underwood Company, which was created in 1868, helped make deviled ham sandwich spread wildly popular throughout much of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries with its effective marketing to women.

Needless to say, deviled ham sandwiches have lost their luster over the ensuing decades. Yet, I think they can make a comeback. Here’s why: they’re inexpensive, nostalgic, tasty, and oh-so-Mad Men. Can’t you see Betty Draper serving deviled ham sandwiches with icy cold bottles of Coca-Cola for a summertime ladies luncheon?

I’ve done my part to help the deviled ham sandwich make a comeback by including a recipe for it in my book, The Encyclopedia of Sandwiches, Recipes, History, and Trivia For Everything Between Sliced Bread. With bracing Worcestershire sauce, hot Tabasco, and tangy sweet pickle relish this deviled ham sandwich recipe would make even the red-hot horned demon sweat under the collar. So grab your leftover Easter ham and whip up some sandwiches. And to keep from over-heating, don’t forget some all-American Coca-Cola on ice.

Photo credit, Matt Armendariz

Deviled Ham Sandwich from The Encyclopedia of Sandwiches

Make about 1 dozen finger sandwiches of 4 full sandwiches

2 cups chopped or ground cooked ham

1/4 cup sweet pickle relish

1/3 cup mayonnaise

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 to 2 teaspoons Tabasco

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

12 finger rolls or white or whole wheat bread sliced into circles with a cookie cutter

1 cup alfalfa sprouts, optional

1. Pulse ham in a food processor. In a medium bowl, combine with relish, mayo, mustard, Worcestershire, Tabasco, and pepper. Mix until well blended.

2. Spoon filling into bread. Top with alfalfa sprouts, if desired.