While shopping for the Blessings Box at Lincoln School, I picked up some cans of the famous product called Spam. We know the word as the label for the annoying number of unsolicited e-mails that most receive hourly. Spam, however, is actually the 12-ounce, six-ingredient product that recently celebrated its 82nd year of production.

First manufactured with pork shoulder meat, considered a least desirable cut, it gained fame in World War II as a staple in the G.I. menu. Its name was chosen in a contest: a submission by Ken Digneau, who implied it stood for “Spiced Ham” and won $100 in 1937 money...