Publican Kevin Barker is truly a fan of Spam. For he has not only scooped the prestigious "Spam Fan of the Year Award" for the Spam Week promotion he held at his previous pub, The Crane in Wandsworth, he repeated this hugely successful Spam Week promotion last month at his current pub - The Rising Sun in Twickenham.
During Spam Week, visitors to the pub were able to sample a choice of ten items on the menu which featured Spam. These included Sweet and Sour Spam, Spam Wellington, Spambuger, Spamwiches, Spam Fritters made with Youngs best bitter ("as we're a Youngs pub," says Kevin), and Cajun Coconut Spam - Spam with a spicy topping dipped in coconut.
There was also Spam Quiz Night, where visitors answered 20 questions on the history, life and times on - you've guessed it - Spam!
"When I held Spam Week at The Crane pub, which won the award, the feedback was tremendous," he says. "It created a huge amount of interest. Many people said they were tired of pubs serving exotic Thai cuisine and wanted something traditional like Spam fritters and chips."
Why does he think so many people like Spam? "Many people never see it on the pub menu and it's something different. It's also nostalgic - most people have never eaten it since they were at school."
He likes buying the small tins of Spam, so it's kept as fresh as possible. "When we make a Spam sandwich, we open a 8oz tin of Spam and use it to fill a baguette. From a personal point of view, I find Spam handy as it's in a tin and it's versatile."
He plans to continue featuring Spam dishes on the menu. To go with the main ingedient Kevin likes Uncle Ben's Par Boiled Long Grain Rice, "which I find easy to cook," he says.
Chips are by McCain, and are the steakhouse freeze chilled variety. "They're convenient and everyone likes them," he says.
He cooks them in own label vegetable oil from.
Sweet and sour sauce is by Uncle Ben's.
The pub doesn't serve desserts in the usual way, but it does offer Wall's Ice Cream, through a special dispenser. "You put a cartridge in the machine and soft ice cream is dispensed and served in a short crust pastry tartlet case with fresh fruit. It's easy for the bar staff to use."
All meat comes from Fenn in Piccadilly, London, "and I advertise this in the menu so customers know where the meat is from. I believe in good quality meat. They supply chicken, beef, lamb and pork."
The Rising Sun prides itself on traditional English pub food such as sausage and mash and a carvery on Sunday "We're not into ethnic food - I prefer to stick with traditional English cuisine," he says.
Fillings are purchased from Juggs Foods, such as venison in a rich wine gravy, steak and stout and mushroom and pepper stroganoff. "We make these fillings into a pie with a crust on and serve with a selection of vegetables," says Kevin.
The pub offers a choice of ten vegetables presented on a buffet table, so customers can simply help themselves to vegetables. "I find this is very convenient because we can get all the vegetables ready for the buffet in time for the first customers at 7pm."
On Sundays, the pub serves an even bigger choice of 15 different vegetables. "Normally at most pubs it's roast and two veg - we wanted to offer lots of different vegetables. There are also four or five different types of potato like mash, roast and croquette.
Food is available at the pub on Sunday from 12 noon to 8pm and from Wednesday to Saturday from 7pm to 9pm. On Mondays and Tuesdays a light lunch such as baguettes and omelettes are on offer. "You'd be surprised how popular omelettes are," he says.
Kevin has recently introduced breakfast on Saturday from 10am to 3pm. There's a choice of a light breakfast consisting of cereals, yoghurt, grapefruit, toast (with a choice of 20 different marmalades) for £4.99 or the full English breakfast at £6.99, which also includes a cooked meal - free range egg, pork Cumberland sausage, bacon and tomatoes.
"There's a market round here for a good quality breakfast on a Saturday," he says. "At the moment, it's attracting business people who work in the City and want a leisurely relaxed breakfast on a Saturday."
The pub is located in a residential area, so during the week its customers are mainly ladies who lunch and retired people, while in the evenings it's working people who fancy a meal out. On Sundays, it's a real mix of all these customers, as well as families. "I've got a couple of items on the menu for kids like fish fingers, but they seem to prefer the carvery," Kevin says.