Have the holidays left a big fat zero-shaped hole in your bank account? Did you foolishly — probably while under the influence of Christmas sherry — agree to throw an epic NYE soiree? Do you now need to feed the 5,000 (or possibly just 15) with something to soak up all that alcohol in the hope that your carpets (and your apartment's rent deposit) remain intact?
Well, the answer might just lie in the corner shop just, er, around the corner. People, we're talking about Spam. Yes, really. But, stay with us for a second, here.
This is the once-popular cupboard staple that fell from favour during the early '90s, and not to be confused with undesirable emails hawking Viagra and/or a mail-order brides. Apparently deriving its name from a contraction of the words spiced and ham, this processed meat is conveniently stored in a tin form. And guess what? It's going gourmet. The retro, tinned meat is rebranding itself with a new haute gastro image, complete with a range of new flavours: black pepper, garlic, cheese, and bacon. And in the brave new world of posh processed meat, you can make spamapés. A quick perusal of the Spam website reveals recipes for appetisers including Spam wontons, Spam black bean and polenta bites, and Spam meatballs, as well as the Spam and sweetcorn cakes pictured above. At approximately £1.79 per tin, these spamapés work out as costing a mere few pence a-piece.
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Not convinced? Here's a fun fact: In South Korea, Spam is considered a delicacy*. And given that it's the country where trends were created in 2012, this is reason enough to serve your guests Spam as you welcome in 2013. But, on the off-chance that your guests aren't as gastronomically ahead of the curve as you, we'd advise that you stock up on some back-up Doritos, too....
*Insert "Spamnam Style" joke [here].