After the past two weeks of the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, this morning I decided to straighten out my desk that was covered with bits of paper with phone numbers of my colleagues, Red Cross numbers, and various other information, I came across a small book given to me last year by a friend who once lived in New Orleans but now resides in Austin, Texas.

Before I continue, I must tell you that my husband always chides me when our area is under a hurricane watch. He and I have a hurricane drill. He’s in charge of batteries, flashlights, fuel for the generator, battening down the boat and the outdoor furniture. I am in charge of gathering important papers, jugs of water, and non-perishable food. The food is what gets him laughing. Spam, Vienna sausage, canned corn beef, sardines and lots of crackers is what my mother always stashed away whenever a hurricane was within a 500-mile radius. That’s what I stock up as well. If the hurricane bypasses us, he kids me unmercifully about my supplies.

“What are you going to do with all that stuff?” he questions.

“Keep it for the next hurricane?” I reply.

And that’s where this little cookbook from Hawaii comes in. The name of the book is HAWAII’S SPAM COOKBOOK, including recipes for sardines, corned beef and Vienna sausage by Ann Kondo Corum.

Now that the last of the evacuees my husband and I have fed and housed for a couple of weeks is leaving, I surveyed my pantry to find that we went through just about everything EXCEPT the Spam, Vienna sausage, sardines and corned beef. I suggested that perhaps tonight we could dine on Spam and Mushroom Rolls, Spam Balls, Corned Beef, Onions and Potatoes, Corned Beef and Cabbage, Sardine Salad or Polka Dot Panckes (made with Vienna sausage).

My husband just stared at me.

Filed Under: Food Talk