MIKE BOLTON
News staff writer

SPRINGVILLE - As a Southerner whose mom knew how to fix Spam 47 different ways, Mitch Liddell believes it's his duty in life to pass on his heritage.

That's why once a year the welding machines and drills go quiet at the Liddell Trailers plant in Springville. Just as some plants shut down for Thanksgiving, this plant that builds custom trailers for 18-wheelers stopped everything for Spam-O-Rama one day last week.

Spam-O-Rama has been a Liddell Trailers fixture since 1986. One day each year all employees bring a dish that features Spam. The event, which Liddell calls a "job perk," touts the wonderfulness and dispels the myths about the canned meat that has been one of his favorite foods since he was a boy.

"It's an education process," Liddell said as he watched his employees dig into Spam lasagna, Spam cornbread, scalloped potatoes and Spam, macaroni and cheese Spam, Spam-in-a-blanket, Spam dip, pinto beans and Spam, butterbeans and Spam and other delicacies. "You have to educate your employees. Some have to be culturally enlightened." [...]

"When you pull it out of the can, you have that end piece with all the gelatin on it," he said. "That's the tenderloin."