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The Verdict’s In: Attorney Cooks Up Spam the Best

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The Hormel lady called Richard Mikesell two weeks ago to congratulate him.

She was calling to tell the Sherman Oaks attorney that he had won--and won big.

No, not the lottery. The national Best Spam Recipe Contest.

You have a problem with that?

Mikesell doesn’t. The 58-year-old has been eating the infamous pink canned meat since he was a toddler, when, as he said, “it was dolphin-safe before dolphin-safe was cool.”

A gourmet cook who loves to dazzle his friends with ambitious presentations, Mikesell won the Los Angeles County Fair’s Spam contest last fall with “Spamigo,” a green (and pink) chile stew that finished first in a field of 60.

Spamigo bested 77 recipes to take home the national title, for which Mikesell will receive a $2,500 shopping spree at the world’s largest mall, the Mall of America in Bloomington, Minn. Being of sound mind, he has deferred the trip until Bloomington thaws out.

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Since Mikesell was crowned King of Spam, Hormel has sent him four T-shirts, three hats and three aprons, all bearing the logo of America’s favorite mystery meat.

Mikesell admits that he is a tad disappointed that his prizes didn’t include Spam bas-relief sandals. Those are the ones, he explains, that have the Spam logo carved on the bottom “so that wherever you go you leave the word Spam.”

Since winning the national title, Mikesell has taped Spam promotions for Jay Leno’s “Tonight Show” and “The Late Show with David Letterman.” He also whipped up a batch of Spamigo for his mother’s 90th birthday party.

“It went like lightning,” he said. “I felt like Sally Field. They actually liked it.”

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