I'm a little reluctant to promote anything with Spam in it. Despite what Hormel might say, it's hard to think that it has much nutritional value. (It has ham, pork, salt, water, sugar, sodium nitrite and potato starch in it. Hormel says it only has a "mere hint" of sodium nitrite. Ok, then.)

At any rate, not everything we eat is good for us. When I was a kid, I ate Spam fairly often. (Desperation move on my mother's part, I'm sure, in feeding five children.)

Hormel says on its Spam Web site (spam.com) that the product is versatile.

One of the things Hormel did with it was to package it in individual slices, which we received here for sampling.

They were pretty much among the worse things I've ever eaten.

Sliced Spam, from a can, fried up isn't bad, though. Kinda tasty in salty-meat kind of way.

Now comes a press release about the winners of the 2007 "Great American Spam Championship," held at state and county fairs.

Grand prize winner is Darlene Buerger of Phoenix, Ariz., with "Spamilicious Corn Chowder Pot Pies."

For this she got $3,000 and "serious bragging rights."

In the "Kid Chef of the Year" contest, Lindy Britain of Hutchinson, Kan., won with "Baked Apples with Spam Streusel." She got $2,000.

Young Lindy's great-grandmother won the Spam contest in 2000 with "Spam Cupcakes."

Spam. It's genetic.

All recipes can be found at spam.com.

Lots of wine coming up in the next week or so, some of it offered at fundraisers ...

Christian W. Klay Winery will hold its soup and wine event from 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday at the winery, 412 Fayette Springs Road, Chalk Hill. Folk/rock singer Jackson Monsour of Bedford will perform. Tickets are $15 and must be purchased in advance. Call 724-439-3424.

Ligonier Valley Historical Society will hold its annual "Taste of the Town" event from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. next Thursday at the Millcreek Banquet Hall, a renovated Civil War-era barn on Springer Road, Ligonier.

Sample foods from a range of purveyors. Two hundred tickets will be sold in advance only.

Cost is $20 for society members and $25 for nonmembers. For more information call 724-238-6818 or go to www.ligonierhistorical-society.org.

Heritage Valley Health System will hold its annual "A Toast to Your Health" wine and culinary fundraiser from 7 to 10 p.m. April 5 at the Hyatt Regency Pittsburgh International Airport, 1111 Airport Blvd., Findlay.

Hosts will be Alex Sebastian of the Wooden Angel restaurant and Andrew Stockey of WTAE-TV.

Fifteen restaurants from Western Pennsylvania and 20 wineries nationwide will be represented at the event, which also will feature a silent auction and gourmet beer.

Tickets are $125. To register, call 412-749-7050 or 724-728-9111 or go to www.heritagevalley.org.