Do You Have What It Takes To Try Spam's New Figgy Pudding Flavor?

When you think of Spam, you're probably thinking of that tin of canned meat that's usually fried up with eggs. And "figgy pudding" is an English dessert that you're likely only familiar with because of that one Christmas carol. So, what does Spam have to do with an English dessert — and just what is figgy pudding, anyway?

According to NPR, figgy pudding isn't a type of Jell-O pudding made of figs; it's a "steamed cake full of raisins, currants, and brandy." Figgy pudding also contains suet, which is raw beef or fat from mutton, alongside a handful or two of breadcrumbs. (The Farmer's Almanac explains that the suet is meant to hold everything together.) As for why we sing about it in a Christmas song, it's because that particular carol was written in the 16th century, when wealthy homeowners would give out food, such as figgy pudding, to the less fortunate.

Now that we have some context as to what figgy pudding is, it's time we establish what Spam has to do with any of this. The answer's simple: Spam is making a new figgy pudding treat.

Slap on your Santa hat and do your best impression of a British accent: Spam is introducing fans to Spam Figgy Pudding.

As the brand's website explains, Spam Figgy Pudding is basically the famous sweet and salty brick of meat infused with the classic flavors of an English figgy pudding. While this may seem like an odd combination, remember that figgy pudding does use beef fat as part of the traditional recipe. And isn't Spam just meat fat by another name? The flavors of Spam Figgy Pudding include a combination of spices such as cinnamon, ginger, allspice, and nutmeg, alongside fruit flavors like orange peel and fig. Spam suggests serving the meaty pudding on skewers and charcuterie boards and even on top of pancakes or Dutch babies. There's even a stop-motion style promotion designed to showcase just how merry a treat it is. 

But how does Spam Figgy Pudding actually taste? The Washington Post describes it as tasting somewhere along the lines of a hot dog mixed with fruitcake. If anything, perhaps it'll be a fun holiday novelty you can try simply to say you did.