KHOU CultureMap Moment

Creative chefs work magic at first-ever SPAM cookoff that Monty Python would love

An indefinite shelf life, a dubious ingredient list and a suspiciously square shape has given SPAM a bad name for decades, but Theatre Under The Stars and the Saint Arnold Brewing Company recently teamed up to elevate the canned meat at Houston's first-ever "Saint Arnold's Spam Off."

The event benefited TUTS and highlighted the upcoming production of Spamalot - The Musical, at the Hobby Center May 14-26.

Chefs from Beaver's Icehouse, food trucks Craft Infusion and Phamily Bites, Hollister on Washington, Fat Bao, Reef, Underbelly and Saint Arnold's showed off their skill at the throw-down on Wednesday.

"There was everything from SPAM sushi to smoked SPAM potato salad. I also remember some SPAM tacos and some SPAM cuts that were covered in a coffee-based rub," Sam Byrd, public relations manager for TUTS, explained to CultureMap.

Guests each received a ticket upon entry and voted for their favorite SPAM dish by dropping it into a coconut shell placed on the table of the chef whose dish they liked best.

Craft Infusion won for....well, let's let their culinary masters explain in their own Monty Pythonesque way:

Bridgekeeper: Hee hee heh. Stop. What... is your name?
King Arthur: It is 'Arthur', King of the Britons.
Bridgekeeper: What... is your quest?
King Arthur: To seek the Holy Grail.
Bridgekeeper: What... is the air-speed velocity of an unladen swallow?
King Arthur: What do you mean? An African or European swallow?
Bridgekeeper: Huh? I... I don't know that.
[he is thrown over]
Bridgekeeper: Auuuuuuuugh.
Sir Bedevere: How do know so much about swallows?
King Arthur: Well, you have to know these things when you're a king, you know.

Were you king you would also know that, Wednesday Evening the 1st of May year of our lord 2013, Chefs Joe Apa of Rudyards and Troy Witherspoon of Craft Infusion collaborated on a Spam and cheese biscuit sandwich so sublime as to be voted the favorite among those in attendance at this royal gathering.

Said biscuit was comprised of sweet potato dough baked to flaky perfection and filled with whipped cream cheese, Spam seared with Saint Arnold root beer BBQ sauce and crowned with a cucumber, carrot and Serrano pepper summer pils slaw.

No shrubberies or Llamas were harmed during the preparation of this sandwich.

CultureMap editor-in-chief Clifford Pugh took KHOU Channel 11 News behind the scenes at the Saint Arnold brewery to see what dish newly-installed chef Ryan Savoie entered in the contest for this week's CultureMap Moment. Take a look at the video below — we think you'll be righteously shocked by the transformation.

The brewery and TUTS are pairing up again on May 16 for a Saint Arnold Night at Spamalot - The Musical. Tickets start at $44 and include a pre-party at the Saint Arnold Brewery and a school bus ride to and from the Hobby Center.

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Public memorials and services set for 'Houston's anchorman' Dave Ward

Photo courtesy of Dave Ward

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ABC13 anchor emeritus Dave Ward died on December 13 at age 86.

Members of the public are invited to pay their respects to the longtime newsman at visitations and funeral services this week. Plans include:

Wednesday, Dec. 17: Ward will lie in repose from 11 am-6 pm at the Crimestoppers of Houston Dave Ward Building, 3001 Main St., Houston, TX 77002.
Thursday, Dec. 18: Public visitation open to all at George H. Lewis & Sons Funeral Directors at 1010 Bering Dr., Houston, TX 77057 from 11 am-2 pm and 4-8 pm
Friday, Dec. 19: Funeral service open to the public at 12 pm at St. Martin's Episcopal Church at 717 Sage Rd., Houston, TX 77056.

ABC13 will carry the funeral live on television and streaming platforms.

For more than 50 years, Dave was Houston's anchorman. He began each newscast with his signature line, "Good evening, friends." That's how the legendary newsman felt about the viewers who shared his love for the city he was so proud to call his home.

His name was David Henry Ward, but he was known to thousands of Eyewitness News viewers simply as "Dave." Born in Dallas in 1939, Dave grew up in Huntsville and began his radio career with KGKB Radio in Tyler while attending college. Three years later, he joined the staff of WACO Radio as a staff announcer and quickly climbed to Program Director the following year.

Dave moved to Houston in 1962, where he worked for KNUZ Radio as a News Reporter and News Director for four years. He made the move to Channel 13 in 1966 as the station's only on-the-street news reporter and photographer, coming "inside" in early 1967 to anchor Channel 13's weekday 7 am. newscast.

Later that year, he became the first host of the wildly popular "Dialing for Dollars" program, which later evolved into "Good Morning Houston." Houston viewers flocked to see him and hear him, and by January 1968, Dave became the anchor of Eyewitness News at 6 and 10 pm.

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Read more about Dave Ward’s life and legacy, with video, on CultureMap's news partner, ABC13.com.

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