Happy Thanksgiving week to everyone and welcome to this early edition of Crock Pot Wednesday. I’m glad you came to visit or join in the fun. Mister Linky is available now for your favorite slow cooker offer of the week.
Alma, Arkansas calls itself the Spinach Capital of the World. The Allen Canning Company was the official licensee of the Popeye brand of canned spinach for years and years. Alma and Crystal Springs, Texas had a rivalry going on for a long time about which town really was the “official” spinach capital. At the time, the Alma company canned way over half (65%, according to some reports) of all the spinach canned in the U.S. which amounted to around 60 million pounds a year.
Since Crystal Springs was home to the Del Monte Canning Company that also manufactured canned spinach, they felt that they rightfully owned the title and had a statue of Popeye sitting right in the middle of the town just to prove it. Well, Alma resident and knowledge master of all things spinach, George Bowles, set about to rectify the Popeye-less town square of his fair community. He was not about to be undone by some “hick” Texas town! Bowles commissioned Alma’s own eight-foot statue of Popeye and a four-foot base which he had set in the middle of the town square making this Popeye the larger of the two. (All good Southern towns have their town squares, by the way.)
The papier-mache statue was created by Red Moore of Mountainburg. For his work, Red got $2400, about half of which was donated by Allen Canning. The statue was unveiled at the town’s annual May Daze Festival and was promptly thereafter stolen (probably by a rival Texas town , ahem…or maybe some yahoos from Ozark or Fort Smith). After much pursuit by the locals, Popeye in all of his glory, was found in the nearby Wal-Mart trash bin (of course!).
Popeye experienced some wear and tear due to the weather conditions and to repeated kidnappings (a reward was always in the offering), even turning up to direct traffic in the middle of a road one time. He was finally given a good coat of fiberglass and moved inside when he stands in full homage to the glory that was once spinach!
In case you are travelling through Alma one of these days, but you don’t have time to stop and check out the statue, you can see a good likeness on the town water tower. You definitely can’t miss it:)
So there, Texas. Eat your heart out (or at least all of your spinach)!
Many thanks to Arkansas Roadside Travelogue for much of this information.
A strata is a casserole made with eggs, bread, milk and cheese. This spinach and Parmesan strata makes a terrific light lunch or a delicious side dish. If you’re like me, you will love the flavor combination here.
Serves 6 – 8
-
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
-
2 medium shallots, finely chopped (Use 1/4 cup of a mild white onion if you can’t locate shallots, but I highly recommend them.)
-
2 16-ounce packages frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and drained (You may need to squeeze it until fairly dry.)
-
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg (Fresh is so much better if you can get it.)
-
6 large eggs
-
2 cups milk (I use 1 cup milk and 1 cup Half and Half.)
-
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
-
1/2 – 1 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
-
1 teaspoon Tabasco
-
6 cups bread cubes, crusts removed (use a sturdy bread)
-
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Coat the inside of the 5 to 7 – quart crock with nonstick cooking spray or line it with a slow cooker liner (I spray). Melt the butter in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shallots for sauté about 2 minutes, until softened. Add the spinach and nutmeg and until sauté the liquid in the pan is evaporated. Set aside to cool.
Whisk together the eggs, milk, salt, white pepper and Tabasco in a large bowl. Arrange half of the bread in the slow cooker. Top with half of the spinach mixture and half of the cheese. Pour the egg mixture over the casserole and press down to make sure the bread has absorbed the egg mixture. Cover and cook on LOW for 3 to 3 1/2 hours, until the strata is cooked through.
Serve from the slow cooker set on warm.
Adapted from Slow Cooker: The Best Cookbook Ever.
Linked to:
Menu Plan Monday
Tasty Tuesdays
Tempt My Tummy Tuesday
Tuesdays at the Table
Slow Cooker Thursday
I loved the background about Popeye spinach and your strata sounds delicious.
Thanks for the history lesson. I love spinach. I have to try this for sure.
What a neat story about the Popeye statue! I really enjoyed that.
The spinach strata looks very good. Certainly worth a try in our house.
Anything with that much spinach is good! I’ve got to fire up the crockpot again soon so I can link up.
Loved the Popeye story..and now I’m almost afraid to say I’m from the great state of Texas..:). However, no matter where you’re from, this spinach dish has to sound wonderful. Yummmmm, I do love my spinach in any form..specially spinach salad.
Hi Debbie, I just want you to know that I have featured you on my blog- I post my menu each week and I am making your delicious sounding shrimp bisque. So I gave you a “shout out” and posted a link to your blog.
I can’t wait to try this!!!!!
I really enjoy your blog and my new friendship with you!
Yvonne
I love the spinach history lesson!
Thank you for the tour.
Your menu sounds delicious. Happy Thanksgiving!
Have you ever heard of shelf milk? If so, can you use it in a baking recipe?
Hey!! I left an award on my blog for you!! (c:
I have never tried and egg dish in the slow cooker…but this sounds delish. Can’t wait to try.
I’ve posted a great recipe for slow cooked cranberry sauce. Had fun playing with it here in Texas (although, I have no idea where Crystal Springs is…so I plea not guilty to the plights of popeye!)
that looks really delicious! we love spinach around here 🙂
Thanks for the lesson. That does look pretty good.
THis looks so good! I love strata!
Happy Turkey Day!
Mama Holli
Hooray for Allen Canning!
I’ve never tried a strata in the crockpot, this looks great!
I’ve never tried to do strata in a crockpot, but I think I might try for Christmas. 🙂
Hi Debbie,
I finally got myself organised enough to join in with you today. I enjoyed hearing about the Popeye feud and your strata recipe sounds delish, will give it a try.
Maggie
What a great post Debbie, thanks.
Debbie, love the picture and story. I live about 60 miles from Alma, AR. A love place. Doylene
Debbie, I do Crockpot Wed. I’m having trouble using the Mr Linky. Last week came out the same as this week. I will get the hang of it soon. Look for my name at the bottom of the list. Doylene
Hope you had a lovley holiday.
Follow me on my new blog … had issues with the old one.
blushingrosetoo.blogspot.com
We are having a huge GIVEAWAY ending Dec. lst.
Hugs, Marydon
The crock pot recipe looks wonderful..I have just discovered your blog. Really enjoyed reading several posts. Come by and visit.. I have several holiday, food posts’. http://www.bcpmylife.com