Spam Musubi

Given the popularity of spam in Hawaii, and the rice-centric nature of local diets (and the ubiquitous nature of the musubi), chances are hundreds of islanders "invented" the spam musubi on their own for years. But the spam musubi is definitely an icon of the Hawaii diet, and the explosive mass-market popularity can perhaps be traced back to one person.

Sun-Ki Chai, moderator at the food-centric Hawaii eGullet forum, found some history in "Hawaii's 2nd Spam Cookbook" (Bess Press, 2001). The book is also cited in a June 2002 article on musubi in the Honolulu Star-Bulletin.

According to author Ann Kondo Corum, Mitsuko Kaneshiro first made spam musubi for her children, but then started selling them out of City Pharmacy on Pensacola Street in Mo`ili`ili. By the early 1980s, she was selling 500 a day. I think the term 'Choke Musubi' would be an understatement.